C\HM 

Microfiche 

Series 

(IMonographs) 


ICMH 

Collection  de 

microfiches 

(monographles) 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Hiatorical  Microraproductiona  / 


Inatitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographlcaliy  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
cnecKea  oeww. 

□ Colourori  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 

□ Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommagde 

□ Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restaur^  et/ou  peHicuMe 

I       Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I      Coloured  maps/ Cartes  gtegraphiques  en  couleur 

□ Coloured  ink  (i.«.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (l.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□ CokMjred  plates  and/br  illustrattons  / 
Planches  et/ou  illustrattons  en  couleur 

□ Bound  with  other  material  / 
R»M  avec  d'autres  documents 

□ Only  editton  available  / 
Seule  MHkNi  dteponft)le 

□ Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortton  along 
interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serrde  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
int^rieure. 

I  I  Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
' — '  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  Use  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajout^es  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte.  mais.  lorsque  cela  6M 
po88tt>le,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  M  filmtes. 

□ Addittonal  comments  / 
Conmnentaires  supptf  mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6\6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
(toire  qui  sont  peul-Mre  unk^ues  du  point  de  vue  bibll- 
ographique.  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  m^tho- 
de  normaledefilmage  sent  indkfute  d-dessout. 

I    I  Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I    I  Pages  damaged/ Pages  endonwnagtes 


Pages  restored  arxlAor  lambiated  / 
Pages  restaurtes  h'Jou  peiOcuMes 


Pages  discotoured.  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  dicotories.  tacheties  ou  pk)u<es 


I    I  Pages  detached/ Pages  d6tach6es 


Showthrough  /  Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies  / 
Qualitd  in^gale  de  I'impression 


Includes  supplementary  material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppl^mentaire 


I    I  Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips. 

' — '  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totaiement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une 
pelure.  etc.,  ont  616  filmies  h  nouveau  de  fa(on  k 
obtenir  la  meilieure  image  possible. 

□ Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discotourattons  are  filmed  twk»  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
fikndes  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilieure  image 
possft>le. 


This  item  it  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checiced  below  / 

C«  document  eat  filmi  au  taux  da  rMuctlon  indiqui  cisicaaoua. 

lOx  14x  18x  22x  26x  30x 

M  I  i  I  I  I  I  I  I  i/i  I  I  I  I  I  I  I  Tn- 

12x  16x  20x  24x  28x  32x 


The  copy  filmtd  h«r«  has  b««n  rtproductd  thanks 
to  tho  gonoreaity  of: 

Stauffar  Library 
Quaan's  Unlvarslty 

Tha  imagos  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  boat  quality 
poasibia  eenaidaring  tha  condition  and  tagibillty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  hooping  with  tha 
filming  centraet  apoeif  icationa. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tho  loat  pago  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  impraa* 
sion,  or  tha  bacic  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
aion.  and  onding  on  tho  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  iilMtratod  improaaion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol        (maaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"), 
whiehovor  appliaa. 

Mapa.  platas.  eharta.  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduetion  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornor.  loft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framoa  as 
raquirad.  Thna  following  diagrams  illuatrata  tho 
mathod: 


L'axampiaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
ginirositi  da: 

Stauffar  Library 
Quaaa's  Unlvarslty 

Laa  imagas  suivantas  ont  At*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tsnu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nanat*  da  I'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avoe  laa  cendltiona  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Las  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  aat  imprimta  aont  filmia  an  commandant 
par  lo  promior  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainte 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  aolon  la  cas.  Tous  loa  autraa  axamplairaa 
originaux  sont  filmis  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  uno  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  talia 
omprointo. 

Un  das  symbolas  suivants  spparaitra  sur  la 
darniira  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
cas:  la  aymbolo  — »  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
aymbolo  ▼  aignifia  "FIN". 

Laa  eartoa.  planchas,  tablaaux,  ate.  pauvant  ttra 
filmte  k  das  taux  da  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
raproduit  an  un  aaul  clich*.  il  aat  film*  *  partii 
do  I'angla  aupAriour  gaucha,  do  gaucha  *  droita, 
at  da  haut  an  bas.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagaa  n*cassaira.  Laa  diagrammM  suivants 
illuatront  la  mActtodo. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MICaoCOPV  MSOIUTION  TEST  CHART 

(ANS»  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


A 


i    /APPLIED  IfvHGE 


1653  East  Main  Street 

Rochester.  New  Yort*      14609  USA 

(716)        -  0300  -  Phon. 

(71«)  2S8  -  S989  -  Fo. 


The  Social  Task  of  Christianity 


THE  SOCIAL  TASK 
OF  CHRISTIANITY 

A  Summont  to  the  New  Cnuade 


By 

SAMUEL  ZANE  BATTEN,  D.  D. 

iV'*w-  •/  BttUtl  StUnti,  Des  M,i„,t  CtlUg$ 

Chairman  Social  Strvict  Ctmmissimt 
Ntrthtrn  Baptist  Crnvntin 


M»w  Y«wt      CncMo  Tnomo 

Fleming  H.  Rcvcll  Company 

London     and  EotNaoaoK 


Copjrrifht,  It",  by 
nJMmC  H.  MVBLL  COMPANY 


New  York:  i;8  Rfth  Avenue 
CWcigo:  133  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  35  Richmond  Street,  W. 
^^^^[  >'  Peteraoiter  Square 
"     100  Prinoec  Street 


7h 

The  one,  who  standing  by  my  tide  in 
shadow  and  sunshine,  has  divided 
ikt  bmrdens  and  multiplied  the  joys^ 
The  Mother  of  our  Children, 
This  hook  isgrateJuUy  dedicated 


70962 


2J?i'5i«.','!.''^'"  one  order  which  is  beit  ni.t 


k?«w   «*l  will,  it, 


the  greatest  good  of  hunuuUty.  Got 


/ 


Foreword 


IT  if  idiiiiM    an  itadMrtt  of  boMyi  aflrin  thiift 
the  preMut  "ge  is  a  time  of  oriais  and  ohanga,  II 
is  even  ooi  fwsed  by  many  Christian  thinkers  that 
^•PjJ^t  gwwwtion  wiU  in  aU  probability  oonsUtata 
a  tonfaig  potel  «l  hmma  Uilory,  and  may  determine 
the  tottmam  of  CMaik^  for  a  tlMMnad  ymn. 
Whether  men  are  awaie  of  it  or  not  the  existing  sooial 
order  is  dissolving  before  their  eyes ;  and  many  things 
iadioata  UmA  ^  forms  in  which  men  have  known  ro- 
Ugka  am  dfawlTing  ia  the  genwal  diMolotioiL  Tkta 
does  not  mean  that  tlw  reign  of  anaxohy  is  at  or 
that  ohaos  is  about  to  oome  again.   But  it  does  mean 
that  the  old  forms  of  sodety  and  the  old  formulas  of 
nUgioii  BO  k»g«r  ean  oontain  the  life  and  express  the 
fsith  of  toKiay.   This  is  oertaia  thai  tiM  Mwr  lad 
ideals  whioh  inspired  the  fathers  aad  defeermiai  iia 
scale  of  their  thought  and  faith  are  passing,  if  they  ^re 
Ml  already  passed.  The  motives  and  mochods  which 
OBoa  gnided  thiir  sffovts  and  r;;-«Med  tL  *ir  devotion 
are  no  longer  adequate  for  the  n<.,-  world  wiJoh  k  ita* 
ing  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  old.   In  sober  truth  it  may 
be  said  that  Christianity  is  passing  through  the  most 
nonflBtoM  flriris  of  its  long  history ;  and  if  the 
dnuohes  fail  to  read  the  signs  of  tha  tioMi^  or  if  thsj 
misread  them,  they  will  foifift  their  tiiwtiiin  aad  hm 
the  allegiance  of  mankind. 
This  little  book,  written  with  this  crisis  and  oppo^ 

7 


^  FOREWOBD 


tunity  in  view,  has  a  twofold  object.  It  seeks,  flnt  to 
a^r^  the  changes  that  are  taJdng  phu^inVhew^W 

ttfawvefttodm  the  pKHHwes  of  human  society.   And  it 
jeefa  second  to  define  the  upeiM  tadc  to  whkh  the 
Christian  discipleship  is  now  fairly  committed,  «dto 
suggest  the  program  and  method  by  which  thepnrpole 
or  God  aa  expressed  in  Jesus  Christ  shall  beoomTa 
FACT  m  the  Ufe  of  humanity.   It  is  wrZ  iX^,*^ 
fid^ice  that  Christianity  is  essentially  a  sooW  ndig.^;, 
^t  the  kmgdom  of  God  in  the  Christian  conoS 
of  ttmgs  never^eans  anything  less  than  a  humi  so- 
de^  on  ewrth,  that  the  «.pwme  task  before  the  men^ 
good-wui  tomay  is  the  creation  of  a  better  «d  mow 
Christian  type  of  human  society,  that  the  needs  of  the 
world  in  this  time  demand  that  men's  personal  social 
fadu^  and  poUtical  life  as  a  whole^^TiZ^' 
Chnstiamzed,  ttiat,  in  a  word,  the  superktive  duty 
^  men  to^lay  is  the  Christianization  of  Oirirfieadoin 
If  rehgion  means  a  knowledge  of  the  goal  a^id  of  the 
which  1^  to  it,  no  inquiry  can  be  more  perti- 
wmt  than  that  h«e  undertaken.   If  Christianity  to  be 
the  final  religion  must  be  adequate  to  the  largest  tasks 
toen  It  can  only  carry  oflf  from  the  great  debate  of  th^ 

ttwtually  builds  a  human  society  after  the  divine 

"Of  making  of  books  there  is  no«id.»  Theonlr 
ttcuse  that  one  can  oflfer  in  this  time  when  books  are 

ttw  ^  he  aomething  to  say  which  no  one 
^eir.^  -  ^^««^q«»ti«««fti»oaUedishi 
the  aar  toHiay,  and  many  book!  aw  bdag  writtenupoii 


FOBEWOBD  0 

it  in  some  of  its  aspects.   Thus  far,  however,  no  book, 
•o  fu  M I  am  aware,  approaches  this  question  from  the 
side  here  indicated ;  nor  is  there  any  book  whiohshowi 
the  relation  of  the  present  crisis  in  religion  to  the  to- 
oial  task  of  Christianity.   The  book  aims  to  be  suggegt* 
ive  rather  than  exhaustive  at  any  point.   It  does  not 
pwtaod  to  give  a  complete  and  formal  program  of  so- 
cial salvation  or  to  define  all  of  the  methods  <rf  soeia? 
action.   At  this  hour  of  the  morning  the  great  need  is  a 
sense  of  direction  for  the  day's  mardi,  a  definite  idea  of 
the  day's  task,  and  a  clear  understanding  of  the  factors 
and  foroes  of  sodal  progress.  The  author  nowhere  as- 
sumes or  implies  that  social  service  is  the  wh6l»  of 
Christianity;  but  he  does  insist  that  it  is  a  vital  and 
ess^^  part  of  the  Christian's  commission.  The 
Cmriitiaa  Sjrfrit  will  continue  to  inspire  men  in  personal 
work  with  individuals :  it  will  still  impel  men  to  bidld 
Christian  churches  and  create  Christian  homes ;  it  will 
no  doubt  awaken  in  men  a  deeper  and  more  consuming 
interest  in  missionary  activity.   But  beyond  all  of  these 
things,  in  part  their  folllllnMiit  and  in  part  their  oondi- 
tion,  it  will  impel  men  to  arise  and  build  a  Christian 
rader  of  human  society. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  writer  to  untwist  the  thread 
of  his  thought  and  trace  every  strand  back  to  its  orig- 
hal  somoe.  It  is  impossiUe  therefore  for  any  writer 
to  mention  bj  name  all  of  the  friends  and  writers  who 
have  helped  him  in  the  development  of  his  thoo^t 
fas^e  cases  direct  reference  is  given  in  the  text  to 
soiitoes  and  authorities.  At  the  end  of  each  chapter  a 
brief  bibliography  is  given  at  those  to  whom  the  writer 
is  indebted  and  to  whom  the  reader  is  referred  for 
further  study.  But  to  his  Comiades  of  the  Brother* 


FOREWORD 

hood  of  the  Kingdom  the  writar  owes  a  debt  whkb 
cannot  be  paid  in  words.  The  many  delightful  boon 
'J^^J^oon'erenoe  and  inquiry  on  the  hiUtop  near 
InriboroaglMm-the-HiidioQ  have  meant  much  to  one 
man  in  the  olariiying  of  his  thought  and  the  intemtff 
mg  of  his  oonviotions.  Most  gladly,  therefore,  does  he 
acknowledge  his  immeasurable  indebtedness  to  tiM 
Oomndes  of  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Kingdom. 


B.Z.B. 


Contents 

The  Past  AcHnnu iirn  and  thi  Pruint 

Task  

The  Achieyementt  of  Chtudanitx— Tbe  ftnm 

Thb  Nbw  Aob  and  Its  Problbms 
TTie  SocW  ftoblem-The  PreMrritkm  of  the' 
Unfit— The  Failure  of  IndMdad  Efitt— The 
Solidarity  of  Humuity. 

The  Social  Natvkb  op  CnKanANirr 

Tbs  Kingdom  of  God  on  Earth— The  Christian 
Conception  of  the  Kingdom— The  Ideel  of  the 
Kmgdom  and  the  Quality  of  it*  f  Me  Tit 
Perfect  Man  in  the  ^riect  Sod^. 

Thb  PuotOAU  or  Social  Saltation  . 

The  Need  of  a  Positive  Ph)gram— The  Prtgnm 
of  Chrotunny— The  Salvation  of  the  Whole 
The  Chriitianizadon  of  theliudtiitiaM 
Man'i  Life  and  their  Enliitment  in  the 
Wort  of  Social  Redemption— The  Conadou 
BAR  to  BuiU  a  Chiitdm  SocU  Onkr. 

Thb  Method  of  Social  Action 
The  Economic  Baib  of  tbie  SpMtoal  Ule— The 
Pnymon  for  All  of  the  Conditions  of  a  Full 
end  Human  Life- The  Conscious  and  Collea- 
ive  Effort  to  Save  Society— The  Creadon  of  a 


18 
VI. 


CONTfiNTS 

The  Crisis  and  thk  OpFORnmrrr  . 
The  New  Credentials  of  the  Gospel— The 
Real  Nature  of  Christiaiuty— The  New  En- 
thusiasm for  the  Kingdom— TI»  New  Vkto- 
ne«  for  the  Kingdom. 

Appendix  

The  Social  Service  Ptagnun. 

Imm 


i«4 


229 

aji 


The  Social  Task  of  Christianity 


I 

THE  PAST  ACHIEVEMBSNT8  ASD  IHB 
FKBBBHT  TASK 

CHRISTIANITY,  as  Bothe  suggests,  is  Uie  least 
immutable  thing  in  the  world ;  md  this  is  its 
peculiar  glory.  The  woidt  that  the  Ifaster 
haa  spoken  are  spirit  and  they  are  life ;  His  truth  is  » 
•eed  and  not  a  crystal   Geometry  is  a  fixed  science, 
but  Christianity  is  not  geometry.  By  the  nature  of  the 
OMB  Ohriitiaaity  is  mot  aomethiBg  that  can  be  settled 
once  foriU  in  some  mould  of  dootrine,  mm»  torn,  of 
words,  some  institution  of  society.   It  is  a  new  light  in 
every  seeing  eye,  a  new  experience  in  every  human  life, 
a  new  poww  in  eveiy  generation.   The  ever-livirg  vine 
of  God  ii  prodnoing  every  new  aeaiaii  the  wer-mm 
wine  of  the  Gospel ;  and  so  long  as  the  vine  produce! 
the  new  wine  that  long  we  shall  need  nr  w  sldr"  for  its 
reception  and  preservation.   The  divine  Spirit  is  ever 
taking  of  the  things  of  Ghriit  and  is  showing  them 
unto  men ;  and  so  long  aa  the  Spiiit  has  anything  to 
communicate  and  men  have  anything  to  learn  of  Christ, 
that  long  we  may  expect  new  illustrations  of  the  Chris- 
tian spirit,  new  applications  of  the  Christiiin  prindplea 
and  n«w  renlta  k  Oluriitian  liy«B.  It  takii  a  Jem  to 
eonpTCbandaJami. 


14       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITT 

The  God  in  whom  Christians  beUeve  is  the  liviw 
GoA  He  18  tije  God  of  Abraham,  aad  Wand  Jacob 
to  hem;  He  is  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  also ;  Imt  no  less  Ha  is  th«  God  and  Cap- 
tarn  of  men  today,  aa  He  wiU  be  the  Leider  and  Guide 
of  men  to-morrow.  The  infinite  God  is  infinitely  at 
work  at  every  moment  of  time  in  eveiy  part  of  His 

umyene.  God  who  spake  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
prophets  IS  the  God  -ho  is  speaking  unto  their  children 
in  His  providences.  The  God  who  caUed  men  and 
wrought  m  the  world  yesterday  is  the  same  God  who 
OftOinm  and  works  in  the  world  today.  Men  may 
be  ocmtent  to  live  on  a  part  reputation,  but  G  od  is  not 

"*7*^u  "t*^^^  ^  "P~*  the  deeds  of  the 

fathe^  but  the  Eternal  never  repeats.   Ever  and  for- 

w  working  some  new  works  on  every  day  of 

^^Ir.  ^  hence  not  the 

things  that  shall  be.  God  is  ever  at  worit  in  His  world, 
going  before  His  people,  opening  new  doors  of  opp^. 
tumty,  setting  them  new  tasks,  asking  new  fruits^ 
making  aU  things  new.  By  the  very  necessities  of  the 
^  the  task  of  BMa  yesterday  is  not  the  task  of  men 
today  By  the  nature  of  the  ca«  the  fruito  of  yeetw. 
day  will  not  satisfy  the  life  of  to-morrow.  The  life  of 
today  must  live  by  the  faith  of  to^y.   The  faith  of 

tli  Z  t  ?•  •^•^        ^  ^'^  t^tion 

weU  learned;  faith  in  God  is  a  fresh  and  vital  .xDeri. 

Ev«  and  again  the  living  Chrirt  is  mato^ 

For  nineteen  hundred  yean  the  Gospel  of  Christ  has 
preached  ajid  the  Spirit  of  Ohrfrt  ha.  been  «t  worit 
intheworld.  It  i.  not  gwmuie  to  our  puipote  to  ib^ 


PAST  AOBIXTIICBm  AVE  PUnBHT  TASK  15 

qirire  hoirlu  this  preaching  of  theOoepelluu  fuUy  rei). 
resented  the  mind  of  dnirt.  But  it  may  bo  twd  with- 
out  fear  of  contradiction  that  the  Good  Kewiof  God hm 
been  proclaimed  in  part  at  leaat  and  some  of  the  truth 
as  It  IS  in  Christ  haa  been  known.   There  are  some  ele- 
menta  that  are  nover  found  in  a  pure  state  in  nature 
but  always  in.  combination  with  some  other  mbatanoei. 
They  have  such  an  affinity  for  these  substances  that  it 
IS  with  difficulty  they  can  be  separated  at  alL  Wnat 
we  oaU  Christianity  is  so  vital  that  it  never  can  be  found 
«p«t  from  life  itMlf;  it  oomea  to  ua  in  life  and  it  ex- 
presses itself  through  life,  and  it  cannot  be  lepamted 
from  its  human  media  and  viewed  by  itiell  Thia 
being  so  it  is  more  or  Icbs  subject  to  the  chances  and 
ohangea  and  Mmitationa  of  our  human  apprehension,  oup 
growing  thought  and  our  sodal  devahmmeot  The 
frank  recognition  of  this  fact  will  save  us  irom  mnoii 
perplexity  at  the  beginning  and  mooh  ooofwioii  at  the 
end. 

Hot  is  it  neoeiMiy  for  us  to  eomider  how  far  the 
work  of  the  churohei  in  these  nineteen  oeotorifli  hae 

fully  realized  the  purpose  of  the  reigidng  Christ.  That 
great  things  have  been  done  in  the  name  of  Christ  aU 
Wrtofy  abimdantiy  testifies.   That  the  work  done  has 

mm  fcrdwrto*  the  purposed  the  reigning  Christ 
we  must  all  sadly  admit  For  nfaeteen  eentiiriae  the 
Son  of  Man  has  be  in  with  us;  and  yet  men  have  not 
Him-  For  sixty  generations  His  Spirit 
Ma  been  at  work  in  the  world ;  but  very  seldom  has  He 
been  able  to  do  His  mighty  works.  Instead  of  debat- 
ing whether  Christianity  has  failed,  we  may  weU  aak 
whether  it  has  really  been  tried.  And  yet  with  it  aU 
m  these  Christian  centuries  great  things  havt  been 


16        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CURISTIANITY 

achieved  by  the  Christian  spirit,  and  no  one  who  randt 

history  aright  wiU  minimize  these  great  aohievemonti. 
It  is  impossible  here  to  describe  these  6eHa  Chritti  in 

detail ;  but  toor  apeote  of  these  achievements  may  be 
MflAy  noted.  ' 

L  The  Aohixvemeitts  of  Christianity 
1.  The  Christian  spirit  dwelling  in  men  has  created 
the  finest  and  highest  type  of  penonal  monUty  and 

samtly  life.  Christianity  arose  in  an  age  of  the  world 
that  was  noted  for  the  lowness  of  its  moral  ideal  and 
for  the  demoralization  of  society.   These  things  are 

cjeaily  reflected  in  the  tarid  pages  of  the  historian  and 
the  bitter  satires  of  the  poets.   It  waa  an  epoch  in 
which  the  horror  and  degradation  have  rarely  been 
equalled  and  perhaps  never  exceeded  in  the  annals  of 
mankind.'  Bnt  in  that  dismal  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
like  a  new  creative  spirit,  brooded  over  the  abyss  of 
degradation,  and  lo,  a  new  type  of  manhood  stood  eraot 
with  face  upturned  to  heaven  and  seeking  after  the 
highest  perfection.   Before  long  the  Christians  were 
noted  for  their  pore  lives  and  thoir  loving  service,  and 
even  their  enemies  'vere  compelled  to  maifc  and  ad> 
mire.    In  the  progress  of  the  centuries  this  ideal  ol 
human  life  has  developed  and  unfolded,  and  new 
aspects  of  the  Great  Ideal  have  been  seen  and  loved. 
To^y  the  ideal  of  Christianity  in  its  perMmal  aspects 
at  least  is  well  known  and  widely  honoured.  Withoat 
fear  Christianity  can  point  to  the  lives  ol  men  and 
women  as  iUustrations  of  its  power  to  transform  lives 
and  to  create  a  distinctive  type  of  Christian  character. 
In  saying  this  we  do  not  mean  that  the  Spirit  ol 


PACT  ACRIKVEMENTS  AND  PRESENT  TASK  17 
Christ  has  produced  its  fuU  results  or  that  this  new 

°i*^^if"  As  a  matter 

<rf  1^  Oi.  Ohrktto  Bfo  i.  ,et  on  an  amnrnding  «aS 
and  man  is  always  going  on  from  k»  tonmaiidfrom 

lower  to  higher.  In  men,  in  Christian  men,  in  the  b*t 
of  me^  there  are  always  some  things  to  be  cast  off, 
MBM  adTMioee  to  be  made,  some  new  attainments  to  be 
d^lvad.  At  best  the  Christian  life  it  an  approxima. 
tion,  and  the  Christian  is  one  who  is  becoming  perftot 
Inan  old  Bible  that  belonged  to  Oliver  CromweUhM 
this  inscription:  O.  C.  16U—Qui  cM0at 
m$  mdw  cmat  mm  }onu«— He  who  ceases  to  be  bet-  ^ 
tw  ceases  to  be  good.  In  httmony  with  this  was 
Martin  Lather's  maidm—He  who  w  »  COnMu  is  mo 
Christian. 

And  in  saying  this  we  -^o  not  mean  that  the  Chris- 
ttan  type  of  ohMsoter  is  so  anique  that  nothing  like 
It  has  ever  appeared  ontdde  the  nuige  of  «2doas 
Christian  mfluences.   As  a  matter  of  faxjt  amonir  aU 
peoples  and  in  other  religions  there  have  beenWand 
wonwtt  whose  Uves  shine  with  a  divine  beauty  and 
bear  comparison  with  the  finest  Christian  saints.  The 
Shu  kmg  of  China,  Buddha  and  Zoroaster,  Epietetas 
and  Confucius,  are  the  pride  of  the  human  race,  and 
dww  the  upward  possibilities  of  mankind.   And  yet 
when  an  is  said  it  ranains  true  that  there  isatype 
ot  charactffl.  uniqne  and  distfawtive  that  may  flttfai^ 
be  called  Christian.  "-^Z 

»i.*'/tS®  Christian  spirit  dwelling  in  men  has  created 
t^  Christian  family.  As  every  one  knows  Christian- 
iqr  am  at  a  tfane  when  the  mantege  bond  was  lightiy 
esteemed  and  society  seemed  to  be  dissolving/Bnt 
in  that  time  of  sodal  conniption  Ohri8^u%  bs^ 


18       THE  SOCIAL  TA8K  OF  CH&ISTLLNITT 


its  ohangefal  and  yet  triumphant  career,  and  soon  its 
eflfeotg  are  noticed  in  the  home.  The  home  life  of  the 
Christian*  was  remarkable  for  its  parity  and  stability, 
•ad  tlM  dMay  in  MMtoky  wm  wrrnled  where  it  was 
not  oared.  In  coarse  of  time  a  Ijpe  at  htaOj  lifb 
came  into  existence  that  in  the  truest  sense  may  be 
called  Christian.  To-day  there  is  a  type  of  family 
life  known  tiie  world  over  as  the  Christian  type. 
This  is  the  second  great  aofaieTcniflDt  of  the  OhriitiHi 
spirit ;  and  the  Chrkliaa  funii^  gim  mm  mw  hope 
for  the  world. 

Here  again  in  speaking  of  the  Christian  lunily  we 
do  not  mean  to  imply  that  it  is  only  in  Christian  lands 
that  we  find  a  hj^  and  beautifol  type  of  UmSfy  lif^ 
In  all  times,  among  all  peoples,  the  one  man  has  lored 
the  one  woman  and  the  one  woman  has  loved  the  one 
man ;  parents  have  loved  their  children  and  have  lived 
for  their  welfare ;  ehildren  have  honomnd  and  obeyed 
their  parents,  and  brothers  and  liitan  have  dwelt  to> 
gether  in  joy  and  peace  and  have  made  home  a  true 
fellowship  of  brotherhood  and  love.  But  when  all 
this  is  said  and  all  sooh  oaset  a*  >  taken  into  account, 
it  yet  remains  true  that  there  is  a  ^pe  of  fiunily  life 
that  is  distinctively  Christian. 

3.  The  Christiaw  spiidt  has  created  that  fellowship 
of  the  Spirit  known  as  the  Christian  Church.  This 
Ciiurch  has  been  a  oontinoal  witneM  tor  God  and  for 
the  things  eternal ;  it  haa  oome  to  men  with  a  mes- 
sage of  love  and  forgiveness;  and  it  has  wrought 
wonders  in  human  life  and  for  human  society.  This 
Church  has  been  as  an  ark  of  safety  in  which  the  hopes 
of  men  have  been  borne  across  the  tronbled  seta  of 
life;  it  has  been  the  body  of  Christ  serving  tiw  m 


FA«  Aonmmirri  m  mmr  task  19 

of  man  ia  muifold  w»js  and  seeking  to  blew  and 
iplift  tha  Ufa oltba world:  it  has  gathaml tosatlMr 
the  men      faith  and  has  aoMIM  than  fato  aa 

amy  for  the  King.  The  Churoh  is  one  of  the  graaft 
achievements  of  the  Christian  spirit  and  its  service  of 
the  worid  has  done  mooh  to  advance  the  iHiy^^ 


This  does  not  mean  that  it  ia  caly  k  „nm 
that  we  find  men  joining  in  a  worshipping  oommnai^ 
and  seeking  to  laiow  the  wiU  of  heaven.  AUhistory 
jnstiflia  the  atatflBBflnt  that  man  is  by  natora  a  reliff. 
ions  being;  the  nan  witboot  a  nUgkm  is  aa  mn- 
Hon  and  an  anomaly.  In  aU  times  onder  aU  fonni  of 
wligion  men  have  joined  in  the  worship  of  God  and 
have  united  to  do  His  will  In  aU  hinds  amonir  aU 
peoples  BiMi  have  lifted  hands  in  prayer  not  for^. 
selves  alone  but  for  all;  and  th«  thw  hav.  aooa 
forth  to  do  the  WiU  of  God  as  they  uadantoodit 
Thus  Herodotus  records  the  custom  of  the  Persians: 
S^x.r'^,  ^      pcnnitted  to  pray  for  bless- 
iBgi  Ibr  himself  ak»e;  but  he  is  ohlig<i  to  offer 
prayers  for  the  prosperi^  of  all  the  Pewlaaa,  and  the 
long,  for  he  is  himself  included  in  aU  the  Persiana.'" 
And  this  does  not  mean  that  the  churches  bearing  the 
BMne  of         have  been  fully  Christian.  Itmrntbe 
admitted  that  the  Churoh  as  ft  baa  qjpeawd  in  hktorr 
ha*  fallen  far  below  the  ideal  of  Christ  and  has  doii 
buta  fiaotion  of  His  work.   There  have  been  times 
r      ™„<*«"1»«  i»ve  been  cold  and  unspiritual  and 
have  hai^y  li,ped  the  first  syUabiaof  the  Christian 
QogpeL   There  have  been  times  when  the  ohmdM 
iiave  approximated  the  society  around  tham  aad  haw 

'BookX,8H^iai. 


to  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  OBBmunTr 


been  hardly  a  whit  betlar  than  tha  irofld  ol  pagankn. 

There  have  been  times  when  the  leaden  of  the  ohoraiMa 
have  been  so  selfish  and  oorrapt  as  to  bring  upon  them- 
lelvei  the  soom  and  contem]^  of  all  right-thinking 
mm.  Tbara  have  been  iimaB  wha&  tht  ohnrahfli  have 
been  so  narrow  and  nnspiritoal  that  the  mm  who 
would  be  Christians  have  been  compelled  to  go  oat- 
aide  their  fellowship.  And  to^y  in  the  chorohea  as 
wa  find  them,  in  the  very  best  ohurohes  of  Christen- 
dom, there  are  manythhiga  that  are  vnwortliy  of 
Ohi  ist  and  bring  sad  reproach  upon  His  name.  In  tba 
ohurohes  of  to^y,  in  the  very  best  of  them,  there  are 
men  and  women  at  all  stages  of  immaturity  and  growth, 
and  the  Una  between  the  Ohmoh  and  the  world  is  at 
best  an  invisible  one.  The  best  that  wa  can  nj  k  thfa, 
that  the  Church  is  hecomi/ng  Christian  and  it  is  hence  to 
be  judged  not  so  much  by  what  it  is  as  by  what  it  is 
coming  to  be.  And  yet  w^th  it  all  the  Church  is  here 
aa  the  body  of  (Mt,  i  sd  it  ia  doing  the  work  of  the 
kingdom  as  no  othor  institnticm  pretenda  to  do  it 

The  Christian  spirit  has  also  created  the  world- 
w.  missionary  enterprise,  one  of  the  finest  achieve- 
menia  of  the  Gbistian  prinsijda.  In  obedience  to  the 
commands  of  the  Master  men  and  woman  have  inntoed 
the  ties  of  home  and  have  gone  forth  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  to  bear  the  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  lost.  In 
good  report  and  in  ill  report,  enduring  great  hardshipa 
and  taldng  their  lives  in  their  hands,  they  have  pene- 
trated the  firocm  north  and  have  crossed  burning  deaerta 
nnder  the  equator ;  with  a  patience  that  never  fails  and 
with  a  love  that  never  falters  they  have  sought  the  lost 
peoples  and  have  loved  thm  into  the  kingdom.  The 
mimkiMiy  entopriae  isthe  traost  intematicaalkm  and 


FAW  AomiyiiiBm  aud  presunt  task  %i 

i  i^"*  "^^^    the  world-wide  love 

Cfooo.  ™  Blwioiutty  enterpriM  is  one  of  the  flnert 

trium^  of  the  Ohiirtitti  q«|  Md  fa  it  the  Tirr  hewt 

of  OhrirtiMity  it  rerealed.  ^ 

In  thii  miidonaiy  enterprise,  as  in  lOl  hnman  thinA 
tbrneare  many  offshoots  that  cause  the  thou^hitful 
OhristfMi  iOBM  ivkNM  xaiigivingB.  Some  of  the  mis- 
nonariM  have  been  men  of  narrow  minds  who  haw  r»> 
garded  all  religions  outside  of  Christianity  as  inven. 
tions  of  the  devU;  and  so  they  have  antagonized  the 
▼«fy  people  they  wanted  to  help.  Some  workers  have 
been  driven  on  by  motim  thatwoald  not  bear  the 
light  of  day;  and  so  thdr  work  has  not  fnlly  aa«. 
mended  the  Gospel  they  preached.  Denominational 
ilvaWes  have  hindered  the  work  at  home  and  abroad. 
Jadhav*  disgusted  the  non^hristian  peoples.  Inspired 
by  a  false  conception  of  the  kingdom  of  God  men  hava 

gone  from  village  to  village  preaching  the  Gospel  for  a 
witness,  as  they  caUed  it,  and  taking  littie  interest  in 
uw  ml  life  of  tiie  hearers.  But  when  we  havf  ad- 
mitted all  this  the  story  yet  remains  half  told,  il'or 
some  of  the  best  and  noblesfc  loab  cf  the  worid  hav« 
been  leaders  in  tiie  missionary  movement;  and  many 
mott  and  women  have  wrought  for  Uieir  backward 
Jwttowi  in  the  moet  Ohristly  and  sympatiietio  spirit 
Missionary  workers  ha    'ie«waltla*eBm«i  and  have 
laid  th9  foundations  of    eat  nations  that  are  yet  to  bfc 
Devoted  mission  workers  have  gained  the  confidence  of 
the  people  and  have  earned  tiie  name  of  Jesus  Christ's 
The  misBionary  movement  is  one  of  the  finest 
triumphs  of  the  Christian  spirit,  and  ft  itencte  as  soma- 
thing  wholly  unique  in  the  world. 

AUtiusismnohfbutaUthisisnotalL  ThnanMrn 


as       THB  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAinTr 

mmtM  noted  are  great  and  notable  and  are  worthy  of 
all  hononr.  And  yet  they  have  not  solved  Hie  ivoblemi 

of  the  world  or  brought  the  redemption  of  human 
society.  In  fact,  as  we  shall  see,  the  problems  of  to^Jay 
are  the  most  perplexing  tuat  have  ever  confronted  the 
Christian  worker ;  and  many  stndente  of  human  affairs 
declare  that  human  society  is  undergtnng  a  steady  and 
disheartening  deterioration.  This  is  certain  that  Chris- 
tianity to-day  is  coming  face  to  face  with  a  great  un- 
finished task  which  will  challenge  the  faith  of  the 
Ohristian  woricer  and  will  try  the  power  of  the  C^iris- 
tian  Gospel.  It  is  not  possible  and  it  is  not  necessary 
here  to  define  this  task  in  detail,  for  in  the  chapters  that 
follow  some  aspects  of  this  task  are  considered.  A  brief 
survey  of  the  world  may  however  aid  us  in  grasping  the 
situadon  as  a  whole  and  in  ccmodving  the  task  beforo  ni. 

II.  The  Present  Situation 
It  is  important  that  the  Christian  worker  have  a 
clear  ocmoeptiim  of  the  essmtial  Christian  principle 
It  is  important  that  he  know  how  C9iristianity  has  un- 
folded and  what  it  has  done  in  the  ages  past.  But  it  is 
essential  no  less  that  he  know  his  own  age  and  nn> 
derstand  the  task  to  which  he  is  directly  called. 

1.  To4ay  approximately  one-tUrd  of  the  race  is 
nominally  Cnristian  and  there  is  a  section  of  the  world, 
which  includes  a  dozen  leading  nations,  that  may  be 
called  Christendom.  In  this  Christendom  perhaps  one- 
third  of  the  people  are  directly  affiliated  with  the 
ohnrohes,  while  a  Iftrge  pn^ortion  confess  in  scMne  way 
their  allegiance  to  Christian  principles.  But  in  the 
lands  where  Christianity  originated  and  the  Gospel  won 
its  flnt  triumphs  there  remains  only  a  nominal  and 


PAST  ACmSYEMEirrS  AND  PBESENT  TASK  23 


inert  Church  with  a  most  formal  and  unvital  Christian- 
ity. In  the  lands  of  Europe  where  Christianity  has 
been  longert  known  we  behold  the  tragic  spectaole  of  a 
Church  that  ham  lost  the  allegiance  of  the  pe(^)le  and 
the  people  turning  away  from  the  Church  in  masses. 
And  in  other  lands  where  the  Church  has  a  stronger 
hold  nptm  the  people,  we  yet  find  many  men  challeng- 
ing the  Churohto  show  its  r^t  to  daim  the  Christiaii 
name  and  doubting  in  their  hearts  whether  it  is  worth 
while  to  maintain  the  institution  any  longer. 

2.  In  the  generations  past  known  as  the  Christian 
oentiiriei,  many  evils  have  been  combated  and  many 
gains  have  been  mada  One  evil  after  aaoffcher  has 
been  attacked  in  the  name  of  Christianity  and  its  power 
has  been  broken.  Like  a  mighty  conqueror  the  Son  of 
Man  has  marched  down  the  centuries  overturning  an  evil 
here,  ending  an  abuse  there,  breakhig  the  shackles  of 
millions  of  men,  lifting  the  gates  of  great  empires  from 
their  hinges  and  changing  the  whole  drift  of  history. 
The  child  has  been  brought  in  from  the  servant's  room 
and  pkoed  in  the  midst  ol  the  diso^es ;  the  position  of 
woman  has  been  changed ;  the  onrae  of  hnman  slavery 
has  been  abolished ;  gladiatorial  shows  have  been  sup- 
pressed; the  prisoner  has  received  some  consideration  at 
the  hands  of  men,  and  government  has  become  demo- 
cratic and  homaae.  The  record  of  these  ffMta  Chn$ti 
fills  many  pages  of  history  and  is  a  most  splendid  story 
of  victories.  But  alas !  there  is  another  side  to  the 
story  and  this  must  be  told.  In  the  lands  where  Chris- 
tianity prevails  and  its  victories  have  been  achieved 
other  great  evils  no  less  fatal  and  pemksioas  are 
prevalent  and  growing.  In  many  so-called  Christian 
natums  the  oonsomptkui  of  alcolioUo  Uquom  ii  itsadily 


84        THE  SOCUL  TASK  OP  CH£ISTUNITY 

inoreaaing;  the  proportion  of  crimimOs  and  deleetim 
18  growing ;  in  the  United  States  over  ten  per  cent  of 
the  marriages  end  in  the  divorce  court ;  and  most 
senons  veneraal  maladieB  threaten  the  deterioration  of 
the  race  Of  one  Earopean  ooontiy  it  has  been  nid 
that  the  people  are  the  most  religions  and  have  the 
greatest  preaxjhers ;  and  yet  i*.  has  more  drunkennMS 
and  illegitimacy  than  any  country  in  the  world. 

8.   In  this  a  ristendom  we  And  some  great  cities, 
numbenag  from  two  to  three  millions  and  from  six  to 
seven  millions.   In  these  cirias  are  thousands  of  Chris- 
t»n  men  and  women  and  hundreds  of  Christian 
choiehes  <rf  one  kind  and  another.   And  yet  in  these 
cities  there  are  phigae  spots,  oaUed  slums,  that  oan. 
statute  the  standing  menace  of  the  city  and  the  steady 
shame  of  our  Christianity.    The  cities  of  Christendom 
are  the  heaviest  handicaps  tiiat  Christianity  haa  to  bear 
This  18  not  hearsay  and  declamation,  as  any  one,  ahis ! 
can  easUy  ascertain  for  hunself .  The  evidence  in  part 
at  least  is  presented  in  such  books  as  «  The  Life  and 
Labors  of  the  People  of  London,"  by  Charles  Booth : 
«In  Darkest  Enghmd  »  by  Gen.  Wm.  Booth;  "How 
the  0th  r  Half  Lives,"  by  Jacob  A.  Biis;  "The  Bitter 
Cry  of  the  Children,"  by  John  Spaigo;  "If  Cbifat 
Came  to  Chicago,"  by  Wm.  T.  Stead.  Profew 
Huxley  tells  us  tiiat  in  his  earlier  life  he  spent  some 
years  in  an  East  End  parish,  and  what  struck  him  was 
the  astonishing  duUness  and  deadness  of  the  existence 
of  the  whole  people.   Some  yean  later  hi  made  a 
journey  around  the  world  and  saw  savage  life  in  aU 
OOToeivable  conditions.   «  But  I  can  assure  you  that  in 
this  expenenee  of  mine  I  saw  nothing  worse,  noUiinif 
MOW  dagfadiBg^  Botliing  so  lioiwhM,  Botl^ 


I 


PAST  ACHIEVBMfiNTS  AND  PKESENT  TASK  25 

intolerably  daU  and  miserable  as  the  life  I  had  left  be- 
tjid  me  in  the  East  End  of  London;  and  hadlto 
choose  between  the  life  <tf  thew  people  in  the  Eart  End 
and  the  Ute  of  the  savage,  I  wonld  distinoUy  ohooM 
the  latter."   And  he  says  further  that  if  thereisno 
nope  of  a  lai^  improvement  of  the  condition  of  the 
hnmm  fiumly,  «I  shonW  hatt  the  advent  of  some 
kmdly  comet  which  should  sweep  the  whole  aflUr 
away  aa  a  desirable  consummation."   A  recent  traveUer 
in  Africa,  Bryden,  writes  thus :  « I  have  visited  nearly 
eve^  natave  town  m  Beohuanaknd,  and  I  say  un- 
hesitatii^ly  that  time  people  a«  at  this  moment 
physically  and  morally  better  oflf  than  thonnods  of  the 
population  of  our  great  cities  of  Great  Britain,  living 
h-ppier  and  healthier  lives  by  far  than  sevenTnths^ 
the  poor  folka  at  home."  Well  then  may  the  -oet 

*'in?ln*^fe  ttm"e  ^^'^  ^'"^ 

^^"^ 

^i^Sl^jS^tT      »^  *^ 

^^*d£Sf**  sordid 'attic  holda  the  Uving  and 

And  the  crowded  conch  of  incest  in  the  waneoe 
Of  toe  poor. 


96       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUNITr 


The  cities  of  Ohriitendom  aie  the  itaiidiiig  npraudi 

of  Ohristianitj. 

4.  One  other  aspect  of  the  present  situation  may  be 
noted,  and  this  is  in  some  respects  the  most  significant 
and  ominoof  of  alL  That  life  may  poasew  unity  and 
power  man  must  have  a  coherent  and  unified  view  of 
life  and  its  meaning.  In  all  ancient  times  religion 
served  many  purposes  in  life  and  in  society,  but  this 
unifioatacm  of  life,  this  interpretation  of  life's  meaning 
was  its  chief  and  commanding  purpose.  Ifon's  religious 
ideas  have  often  been  crude  and  meagre,  and  yet  they 
have  been  the  last  terms  in  his  conception  of  God  and 
the  universe ;  these  conceptions  have  been  pitifully 
limited  and  provincial,  and  yet  they  have  given  life  its 
meaning  and  duty  its  urgency.  Whether  for  good  or 
ill  religion  dominated  the  life  of  the  world  and  waa  the 
unifying  principle  of  human  society. 

In  the  nineteen  centuries  of  its  history  the  Christian 
raligioii  has  fulfilled  an  impcartant  fonotbn  inthe  life 
of  man  in  that  it  has  giyen  life  a  meaning  and  has  of- 
fered a  coherent  view  of  the  world  and  duty.  For 
fifteen  hundred  years  and  more  the  Christian  world 
liv^-i  under  the  sway  of  what  may  be  called  the  church 
vie  of  man  and  of  society.  As  James  BryoeriiowBia 
his  study  of  mediaBval  Christianity,  "  The  whole  cycle 
of  social  and  moral  duty  is  deduced  from  the  obliga- 
tion of  obedience  to  the  visible  autocratic  head  of  the 
Ohriftiaa  state.'*'  The  bouidaito  of  the  Church  defined 
the  horizon  of  life ;  church  ideas  and  dinndi  oUigatioiii 
determmed  the  duties  of  man.  The  Church  was  the 
special  guardian  of  religion,  and  religion  was  the 
•peoial  interest  of  the  Church.  In  fact  the  Church  and 
1 "  HB)y  BosHB  Empire,"  OiApter  V. 


PAST  ACHIEVEMENTS  AND  PBESENT  TASK  37 

religion  were  always  associated  together  and  neither 
had  much  meaning  apart  from  the  other.  But  in  these 
litter  times,  wlwUiflr  for  good  or  for  ill  yet  remains  to 
be  seen,  the  Christian  world  has  ooI^^owd  the  old 
ecclesiastical  conception  of  life  and  duty.  And  to^y 
the  church  conception  of  life  bulks  less  and  lew  in  the 
life  of  man  and  the  definition  of  his  duty. 

For  one  thing  the  modem  state  has  arisen  outside  of 
the  Church  and  in  a  sense  in  opposition  to  it  ♦*Th9 
modem  world  has  developed  a  civilization  of  a  secular 
kind  and  incorporated  it  firmly  in  the  modem  state, 
^ns  the  Church  finds  itself  faced  by  a  grave  dUemma. 
If  she  maintains  unaltered  her  andent  daims  she  is 
driven  into  ever  sharper  antagonism  with  the  modem 
world  and  the  modem  state ;  if,  on  the  other  hand,  she 
wnomices  these  claims,  Christianity  becomes  increas- 
ingly a  oonoera  of  the  mere  individual ;  there  ceases  to  be 
any  distinctively  Christian  sphere  of  life,  and  the  secular 
view  and  treatment  of  things  threatens  entirelT  to 
supersede  the  religious  dispensation."  ■  There  is  a  grave 
danger  to^y  that  Uf  e  may  break  up  into  two  provinces 
more  or  less  di^amte  if  not  antagonistic ;  on  the  one 
side  we  will  have  the  Church  dealing  with  the  nl%ioas 
interests  of  men,  and  on  the  other  the  rtate  oaaomied 
with  the  secular  things  of  life. 

This  tendency  is  very  marked  in  other  directions.  In 
these  latter  times  one  department  <^  hamanintenstand 
activity  after  another  has  broken  away  from  aU  control 
by  the  Church,  if  not  with  all  connection  with  it,  and 
has  created  its  own  ideals  and  methods.  The  work  of 
general  ednoation  and  dmrity,  the  interest  of  social 
MTvioe  and  reform,  onoe  the  peculiar  interert  and  eoo» 


88       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAHITT 


owrn  of  the  Church,  now  engage  the  attention  and  claim 
the  devotion  of  many  people  who  are  not  memben  ol 

the  churches  and  sometunes  have  aoaat  patience  with 
them.   One  by  one  the  churches  have  seen  these  inter- 
est! of  man  slip  away  from  them ;  little  by  little  these 
fonna  of  service  have  grown  up  ontdde  of  the  churches 
and  have  created  their  own  institutions.   Tc^day  life 
seems  to  be  breaking  up  into  two  hemispheres,  one  called 
Keligion  and  the  other  called  Social  Service.  To^y 
modi  of  this  woric  of  Social  Service  goes  on  outside  of 
the  oharohes  and  with  little  reference  to  religion.  To 
many  people  religion  is  losing  its  oentrality  and  is  be- 
coming simply  one  interest  among  many  other  intere»U.. 
And  this  interest  called  religion  is  regarded  by  many 
as  a  somewhat  incidental  interest,  good  enough  in  its 
way  and  place,  but  at  best  something  apart  from  man's 
real  and  practical  life.   Let  the  churches  concern  them- 
selves  with  religion,  it  is  said ;  but  let  religion  keep  to 
its  q»here  and  leave  the  real  world  alone.  And  so  it 
has  oome  about  that  many  people  in  recent  times  have 
dropped  out  of  the  churches,  not  because  they  are 
especially  irreligious,  but  because  they  have  found  "a 
larger  faith  and  a  more  practical  work  for  human 
good."  •  At  any  rate  great  interests  of  man  lie  krgely 
if  not  wholly  outside  the  range  of  the  oharohes'  con- 
trol  and  many  of  these  deny  any  relatkm  whatever  to 
the  Church  and  its  ideal. 

The  oonsequences  of  all  this  are  seen  on  every  hand, 
and  these  consequences  are  most  serious.  For  one  thing 
■iociety  is  facing  an  inner  disintegration  whioh  tl  -.•eatens 
its  peace,  if  not  its  very  existence.  Because  the  unifymg 
ideal  IS  fading  and  the  inner  bond  is  lacking  « the  maS- 
» (kotktK,  "  Hm  Cborah  ot  To-daj,"  p.  n. 


PAST  ACHIEVEMENTS  AND  PRESENT  TASK  99 

fold  divergencies  of  our  material  interests  make  them- 
•dves  dominanUy  felt,  and  in  default  of  oou^te^influ- 
enoet  oar  ways  draw  more  and  more  apart,  we  be- 
come increasingly  estranged  from  one  uotlMr  until  at 
last  we  live  in  wholly  separate  worlds.   Such  iawaid 
dismtegration  of  humanity  is  already  painfully  apparent 
to^y ;  civiliation  itself  is  in  many  diflferent  directions 
inprooenofrapiddinodation;  a  Babylonish  oonfosion 
of  speech  separating  us  more  and  mora  into  rival  partiea 
and  factions  is  unmistakably  spreadkg,  and  threatens 
increasingly  to  end  in  a  beUum  of/mium  contra  omnes  "  • 
«  Our  age,"  says  Kari  Von  Hase, «  hicks  a  coherent  view 
of  life."  Not  <Hdy  wo,  bot  man's  mtHral  life  is  distraotad 
and  torn  by  competing  and  conflicting  ideas  and  ideals. 
"Society,"  we  are  gravely  told,  « is  ethicaUy  bankrupt 
We  have  some  ethical  assets  but  these  are  a  small  pei^ 
centage  of  our  liability.   Speaking  generally  our  etti- 
ical  capital  consisti  of  a  heterogenaona  oolketioiKil 
provincial  moraUties.   ...   But  we  have  no  nni- 
versal  ethical  standard  to  which  one  chiss  may  appeal 
•gainst  another  dass  and  getaverdiot  which  the  de- 
feated  litigant  feels  bound  to  aooept**' 

This  confusion  is  seen  in  every  section  of  society  and 
m  every  group  of  men,  and  this  confusion  is  the  cause  of 
mnoh  misunderstanding  and  conflict  Thus,  there  is  no 
one  oode  of  ethios  whiofa  all  men  feel  bound  to  honour 
and  by  which  they  agree  to  be  rated.  This  confiuion 
IS  seen  also  in  the  larger  groups  or  estates  of  society, 
and  here  it  is  the  cause  of  much  unrest  and  antagonism. 
Thns  society  is  divided  into  groups  and  classes,  and 
whila  each  has  qieeial  interests  and  regulative  tradi- 

'Enoken,  "  Cbriatianity  and  th«  TTrrrWllto  "  IM. 
'Smll,  "G<iwnri  Hnntology,"  'p.  m.  ' 


80       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAinTT 

tions  of  its  own,  they  all  have  few  afau  and  pupoMi 

in  common.   When  disputes  arise  among  these  gTonpa 
and  daases,  as  they  continually  do  arise,  it  is  found  dif. 
ll«nH  to  oompoM  tbew  differences,  for  the  reason  that 
each  has  a  different  standard  of  ethics  from  the  othm. 
"  There  is  no  common  ethical  appeal.  Neither  litigant! 
nor  referees  can  convince  the  others  that  they  must 
recognize  a  paramount  standard  of  right."  And  hence 
one  oonolndei  that  "The  abMooe  of  a  common  tribunal 
of  moral  judgment  is  the  moit  radkal  fiu>k  in  oar  nrea. 
ent  social  situation." '   The  world  has  many  good  peo- 
ple in  it  to^y,  more  we  are  ready  to  believe  than  ever 
befaro.  But  these  people  possess  no  unifying  ideal,  no 
oi^ganifio  principle,  no  coherent  yiew  of  life,  no  synthetic 
program  of  action.   Society  is  coming  to  8elf-ooiiadoi»> 
ness  and  is  beginning  to  take  note  of  its  troubles  and 
needs.   But  it  has  no  clear  sense  of  direction,  no  or- 
ganiring  impnke,  no  aU-indnaive  ideal,  no  mighty  im- 
polaion.  The  greatest  need  of  today,  as  Frederic  Hai^ 
rison  has  pointed  out,  i^  some  human  synthesis  which 
ahaU  explain  man's  life  and  gather  up  his  efforts ;  some 
gyntheais  by  which  society  can  order  its  affairs  as  a 
whole;  some  ayntheaia  which  ahaU  giye  cohesion  and 
umty  to  our  humanity  in  its  tdls  and  oampaigna. 
"  Strange,"  he  says,  « that  we  do  not  all,  day  and  night, 
incessantly  seek  for  an  answer  to  this  of  all  questions 
the  most  vital:  la  there  anything  by  which  our  nature 
can  gain  its  unity ;  oar  noe  acknowledge  its  brothei^ 
hood ;  our  humanity  can  order  its  affairs  as  a  whole  ?  "  • 
Tne  great  need  of  to^y  is  some  social  ideal  which  shall 
pat  meaning  into  man's  life  and  courage  into  his  hearty 

*8BUdl,  "0«Mnl  Sociology,"  p.  660. 
'mm»^unfh  Omtmt,  UmA,  188i. 


PAST  AOHnVBiaro  AVD  PBnniT  TASK  91 

)  ayn^mk  which  ahaU  unite  mankind  into  one  body 
and  marshal  than  om  anDy  to  oonfront  the  ilia  of 
the  world  and  to  seek  the  perfection  at  sooiefey.  la 
fine,  we  need  some  unifying  and  coherent  view  of  life 
as  a  whole»  some  social  synthesis  which  views  the  many 
departmoitB  of  man's  life  as  integral  parts  of  life  itself 
and  justifies  these  d«partmente  in  relatkm  to  life's  grand 
good  as  a  whole,  some  inclusive  program  which  imttea 
all  these  departments  in  the  devehmmeiit  of  om  Mm. 
mon  life^ 

In  the  nineteen  oentories  of  its  history  Christianity 
haa  done  much  for  man  and  for  sodety.   It  has  won 
the  allegiance  of  millions  of  noble  live*  It  has  dis- 
solved the  doubts  of  men  and  has  solved  some  of  the 
pw^lems  of  sodety.   It  has  permeated  the  dead  lump 
of  human  sodety  and  has  set  up  a  great  ferment  It 
has  cheered  millions  of  pilgrims  across  the  worid  and 
's  lighted  the  eyes  of  dying  men  with  vidons  of  the 
lestial  City.  It  has  become  the  inspiration  and  the 
potfflwy  of  ooonttessfonns  of  social  service.  ButChris- 
tiamty  has  not  yet  achieved  the  redemption  of  the  world 
or  transformed  the  lump  of  human  sodety.   It  has  not 
yet  solved  the  problems  confronting  the  modem  world. 
And  its  present  methods  and  achievements  give  no  as- 
■Minoe  of  the  redemption  of  the  world  within  any 
measurable  time.  ' 
The  primary  question  at  issue  in  this  study  is  not 

woise.  We  may  ftrmly  believe  that  it  is  growimr  bet- 
ter  We  may  grant  thatatai^  part  crfthepT^ress 
made  m  the  past  is  due  directly  and  indirectly  to  the 
^  and  power  of  Christianity.  The  real  question  at 
imt^dayisthis:  Whether  the  power  of  Christianity 


89       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHBttTUlRTr 


is  adequate  to  the  tasks  of  this  modeni  world ;  wbetiMr 
in  fact  it  can  achieve  the  redemption  of  human  sooietr 
wjin  any  measurable  time.  The  fact  that  such  a  con- 
Tf"JI^!!  "  ^«  *»ave  described  shows  clearly 
that  Chrktk^  !»■  not  y«t  |«d  its  perfect  work. 
And  this  suggests  the  question  whether  the  time  hM 
not  come  for  Christian  men  to  make  a  diligent  stady  of 
the  Christian  idea  and  ideal,  to  take  a  fresh  survey  of 
the  worU  iind  ite  needs,  to  make  a  careful  appraisal  of 
their  methods  and  plans,  and  to  listen  again  for  the 
word  which  the  Spirit  is  speaking  unto  the  churches. 
It  IS  evident,  at  any  rate,  that  much  work  yet  remains 
to  be  done,  that  some  great  task  is  yet  to  be  fulfilled 

^  nature  of  this  miflnished  task  mnit  now  be  consid- 
ered; with  this  fairly  before  us  we  shall  know  the 
■pedal  work  to  which  this  age  is  nmiBioned. 


BIBUOGRAPHT 

I*oky>  "Aratleiyof  EnropMtn  Morala." 
Grookor:  "The  Chnrahof  To^y." 

Seiwto  i)ooiiment  No,  644 :  The  Baport  ol  Am  rrMMifi  Bmm 

ComtniasioD. 
Bnwki :  "The  Ckwiai  Uanrt." 
BoBlar:  "Powty." 

"Ika  Gkonb  sad  Iks      gUng  Oite." 


n 

THB  HBW  AOS  AKD  ITS  PBOBLBlfB 

TB^  world  changes  and  men  change  with  it 
The  world  change!  and  ever  new  problems 

demand  TL  «  ^'  ""^  their  in«.tent 
aemand.   Every  age  is,  m  a  sense^  peonliw,  and  ha. 

problems  that  are  peculiar.  This  agThTa  wTol  tti 
owj^and  so  it  has  problems  that  aredistinctive 

The  pwwnt  age  is  restless  and  troubled  age.  Men 
are  cumbered  about  «n«y  thtog.  mid  aw  J^! 
qu«tions.  The  sign  manual  of  ihetiamh^i^ 
gatacm  point  rampant.   Wha' we  call  our  horia,n  i.  a 

^  T^'^^  The  word  problems  is  one  of 
^e  most  fr«pH«.t  woi^  in  common  speech  toly. 
The  Sphinx,  we  are  told,  is  Mug  by  theroadSTS 
our  Western  world  and  is  pmpfund^nJ^^Jt*^ 

•wwp  the  emde  of  man's  life  and  press  upon  h^ 

Church;  m  fact,  we  are  told  that  the  Churdi  k  Ling 
the  most  momentous  crisis  of  its  long  history.  There 

mation,  t  laid,  i.  fcoe  to  ftwe  with  social  and  poUt- 
^  problems  graver  in  chamoter  and  more  fiuJS^ 
m«tent  than  any  which  have  been  hitherto  «S 
J^""  philosophy  we  find  much  the 
S^iSf^'  theologian  and  the  sociolo^ 

gi^  oomea  die  same  sad  ocaf  e«km.    *  - 


I 


At  every  turn 


i 

i 


84       TU£  80CUL  TASK  OF  CHBUTUKITY 

man  i»  confronted  with  a  problem  in  wIiom  mlntkn  h« 

ii  told  the  whole  world  is  interested. 

There  is  a  seb.w  in  which  these  problems  are  old 
beoaoM  they  have  to  do  with  human  life  and  social 
progress.  In  iaot,  we  have  some  groond  for  the  deela- 
ration  that  every  problem  before  us  to-day  is  as  old  as 
the  pyramids.  But  there  ia  a  sense  also  in  which  these 
problems  are  wholly  new  and  original  At  any  rate, 
thflj  wear  a  different  aqieot  tcHlay,  and  the  tasks  grow- 
[  ing  ont  of  them  press  at  a  new  point  of  incidence. 

I  What  then,  it  is  pertinent  to  inquire,  are  the  special 

problems  of  this  modern  world  ?  What  are  the  great 
needs  of  this  time?  What  are  the  tasks  which  Chris- 
[|  tianity  is  now  called  to  fnlflll? 

I.  The  Social  Problem 
1.  In  these  times  the  race  is  coming  to  social  self- 
oonscionsnees  and  mm  are  disoorering  that  they  are 
social  beings.  In  these  latter  days  men  are  gaining 
what  has  been  called  the  sense  of  humanity,  and  they 
are  learning  that  the  race  is  one  great  unit.  To-day 
men  are  learning  to  think  of  humanity,  not  as  a  number 
of  di80(mneoted  and  indqsendrat  indivklnals,  bat  u  the 
interrelated  and  interdependent  members  of  a  living 
society.  Our  personal  life  is  rooted  in  the  life  of  hu- 
manity and  it  flourishes  in  that  soil,  deriving  its  richest 
I  nourishment  from  it  and  living  itself  because  others 

live.  One  man,  says  a  wise  old  proverb,  is  no  wap, 
Thought  is  unable  to  conceive  of  any  such  thing  as  an 
independent  human  being.  We  begin  life  as  sons,  and 
we  continue  it  as  brothers,  fathers,  neighbours,  friends 
and  dtizens.  In  the  most  real  soise  we  have  disooverod 
that  no  man  lives  to  himself  and  no  man  dies  to  him- 


THE  raw  AOB  AW>  ITS  PB0BLUI8  8ft 

^'i^^l^'''^  i»  one,  that  w 

m  bo«d  in  the  bondage  of  our  f eUow.  and  Z  7e 

we  aro  aU  in  the  same  boat,  and  w»  a^t  ^1  rink 

together  or  we  must  aU  be  aaved  together 

•^L^^ihi'  self-conaoiouanee.  men  a«, 

•wing  many  things  as  they  never  »aw  them  before 

7  that  soofaty  is  poor  and  mi^We 

and  naked  and  destitute;  the^^ are^S^^STtiSl 

?^^i«^*^of  the  generSfo J^3y 
!T.!r?/  ^  aohievement^nd  reso,^ 

the  population  in  the  ^       P«>Portion  of 

part^the  rivj'ry^ 

aa«idj  filled,  bat  piactioaUy  ocoai^  in  perDetuitv 

^liow "'^fT'  intenteaTpT 
^  aUow  the  wealthy  cksses  to  retain  control  of 
these  poritwns  g«neratkm  after  generation,  to  thTL^ 
m^ent  exclusion  of  the  rert;  of  the  p^]^«'.  ^"^'^ 
a.  And  this  brhgs  us  face  to  fiwe  with  the  pwhtan 


36       THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUNITT 


of  today,  called  by  way  of  preSminenoe  tbe  Sodal  Prdb* 
lem.  This  problem  is  the  problem  of  social  welfare; 
the  problem  how  to  bring  greater  happiness  and  larger 
opportunity  to  the  rank  and  file  of  men ;  the  problem 
how  to  equalize  opportmiity  and  tiins  enable  each  life 
to  realise  its  highest  capabilitiefl ;  the  problem  how  to 
bring  the  disinherited  into  the  Father's  house  and  give 
them  a  fair  inheritance  in  society.  In  any  enduring 
commonwealth  each  man  has  his  place  and  his  work, 
and  no  society  ia  either  rational  or  Chxistiaii  till  thii 
man  has  found  his  place  and  is  doing  his  wotIc  The 
social  problem  is  how  to  use  the  resources  of  society  in 
promoting  the  whole  life  of  the  people,  and  thus  enab- 
ling the  laggards  to  march  with  the  main  army.  Of 
aU  the  problems  of  the  modem  man,  the  <me  which 
towers  above  all  others  is  the  problem  of  the  just 
organization  of  society  so  that  the  heritage  of  the  past 
shall  be  transmitted  to  all  its  members  alike.  In  the 
most  real  sense  we  have  ducoyered  that  mankind  fa  a 
miit  and  that  we  are  -all  bound  np  togetimr  in  a  sdi^ 
darity  of  life  and  death.  There  can  hence  be  no  per- 
fection for  one  man  or  for  any  part  of  society  so  long 
as  other  men  and  other  sections  of  society  are  wronged 
and  degraded.  The  social  problem  fa  nothing  less  ^an 
the  task  of  bringing  greater  happiness  and  larger  oppor- 
tunity  to  the  life  of  all  the  people  that  every  member 
of  society  may  have  power  to  exercise  his  natural 
faculties. 

The  great  problons  of  to-day  are  social  piobkms. 

They  are  not  primarily  personal  problems,  and  they  are 
not  distinctively  political  problems.  The  problem  to- 
day is  not  how  to  make  good  individuals,  for  this  in  a 
w«7  has  been  sdved ;  the  prohkm  today  fa  how  to 


THE  NEW  AGE  AND  ITS  PROBLEMS  37 

associate  these  individrals  and  to  nmke  a  good  society. 
The  probkms  of  co<iay  are  not  primarily  political 
imblams,  for  pol  tioal  liberty  md  deanoorBoy  have 
been  won  in  these  '  Ve«tem  land;  at  least ;  the  probkm 
to^y  is  how  to  socdi«  ir  h-s'crial  democracy  and  fair 
opportunity  for  aU;  till  this  is  done  the  task  of  de- 
mooraoy  is  not  folflUed  and  society  will  not  be  at 
peace.   There  are  persons  who  make  li^t  of  all  this 
and  tell  us  that  there  is  no  social  proUem  at  alL 
There  is  one  problem— only  one— they  say,  and  that 
is  the  problem  of  sin.   This  is  true  enough  so  far  as  it 
goes— in  faot  it  is  true  even  to  triteness  and  truism— 
but  it  does  not  touch  the  real  heart  of  theqnertiaii 
and  it  is  a  real  evasion  of  difficulty.   The  Gospel  has 
proved  its  power  to  make  good  individuals— or  indi- 
Tid^iak  who  w»Tit  to  be  good;  but  thus  far  these  good 
individiula  have  not  kamed  how  to  asKwiate  them- 
selves and  to  makea  good  society,  and  this  is  the  real 
nib  of  the  difficulty.   And  there  are  others  who  mako 
light  of  this  whole  problem  by  telling  us  that  it  is 
only  a  passmg  whim,  and  to-morrow  society  will  have 
forgotten  all  about  this  ptoUioi  in  some  new  fiuL 
The  men  who  talk  in  this  way  are  blind  leaden  of 
the  blind  and  they  are  among  the  most  dangerous 
man  in  the  world  to^iay   This  social  question  is  more 
a  mere  passing  whim,  tor  it  is  »  question  that 
goes  down  to  the  very  foundations  of  sooietj  and 
concerns  the  very  future  of  mankind.    "The  whole 
problem  of  how  men  shaU  live  together,  of  how  they 
ihaU  share  amongst  them  the  goods  of  life,  is  up  for 
rehearing,  and  no  teauhing  inttitiitioD,  by  whatevw 
venerable  name  it  may  caU  itself,  will  be  listemd  ta 
unless  in  .these  nutters  it  can  give  a  mm  and  oonm. 


88        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 

geous  leaderdup."  •  The  problem  qf  mxsUty  to-day  is  tk§ 
social  problem. 

IL  The  Fbbsxbvation  op  the  Unfit 
1.  There  is  another  marked  characteristic  of  this 
age  which  brings  us  face  to  faoe  with  a  most  vital 
problem.   Ono  of  the  most  outstanding  and  hopeful 
features  of  this  time  is  the  new  interest  in  social  serv- 
ice. From  the  very  beginning  Christianity  has  been  a 
great  philanthropic  impolse,  and  in  aU  generations  it 
has  outflowered  in  many  beautiful  forms  of  loving 
helpfuhiess.   In  these  times  the  humanitarianism  of 
Christianity  has  become  most  pronounced,  and  the 
Chriatian  spuit  is  manifesting  itself  in  the  varied  forms 
of  humanitarian  effort.   But  this  veiy  activity  of  the 
philanthropic  spirit  creates  a  problem  which  is  as  vital 
aa  it  is  puzzling.    In  fact  there  are  students  and  workers 
not  a  few  who  declare  that  this  effort  is  misdirected 
and  that  it  is  ddng  more  harm  than  good.  "There 
is  nothing  more  dreaxiful  than  active  ignorance,"  says 
Goethe,  and  much  of  our  so-called  charitable  work 
illustrates  this  saying.    At  any  rate  it  is  becoming 
very  plain  that  the  present  methods  of  philanthropy 
ean  never  achieve  the  improvement  of  society ;  nay 
more,  it  is  becoming  no  less  plain  that  some  of  ihk 
phiknthropic  helpfulness  reaUy  complicatea  the  prob- 
lem  and  means  the  degeneracy  of  the  race. 

^  all  the  workl  of  life  nature  is  most  exacting  in 
her  demands  and  by  natural  electaon  the  impoaaa  the 
death  penalty  upon  all  who  are  found  weak  and  unfit 
Thus  nature's  discipline  is  inexorable— death  to  those 
Who  do  not  rise  to  her  standard— survival  and  parent- 
•  fcierUy,  "Our  City  of  God,"  p.  144. 


THE  NEW  AGE  AND  ITS  PROBLEMS  89 

age  for  those  who  alone  do.   The  struggle  is  severe 
and  the  results  are  tragic  to  many,  but  by  this  proc- 
ess the  blood  of  thb  ribe  is  kept  comparatively  pure 
and  the  highest  efficiency  of  the  clan  is  nnLiti«»<iyy^ 
"Inconvenience,  suffering  and  death  are  the  penaltiflg 
attached  by  nature  to  ignorance  as  well  as  incompe- 
tenoe— are  also  the  means  of  remedying  these.  Partly 
by  breeding  out  those  of  lowest  development,  and 
partly  by  subjecting  those  who  remain  to  the  navarw 
ceasing  discipline  of  experience  nature  secures  the 
growth  of  a  ra<5e  who  shaU  both  understand  the  con- 
ditions of  existence  and  be  able  to  act  up  to  them.  It 
is  best  to  let  the  foolish  man  sufFer  the  penalty  of  hit 
foolishness." '   And  this  method  of  nature  we  are  told 
by  the  scientist  and  the  sociologist  is  right  and  proper 
and  thonld  be  allowed  to  work  ,.at  its  necessary  re- 
■ults.  Thus  Herbert  Spenoor  finds  ftralt  with  modem 
governmental  md  social  organizations  on  tlMgroand 
that  they  are  interfering  with  the  beneficial  operation 
ot  the  umversal  law  of  natural  selection.   « A  sad 
Pq?olatioa  of  fanbecileB  would  our  schemers  fill  the 
world  with  could  their  {dans  hut.  Why,  the  whole 
effort  of  nature  is  to  get  rid  of  such-to  dear  tilt 
world  of  them  and  make  room  for  better."   To  the 
■ame  purport  speaks  the  sociologist:  inus  Prof.  E. 

I.  •  "  The  diortetl  way  to  make  this  world 

a  heaven  is  to  let  those  so  inclined  harry  hellwaid  at 
then-  own  paxie."   Hence  he  deduces  the  social  caaon ; 
Social  mterference  should  not  be  so  paternal  as  to 

Z?T«*°*  Mlf-extinotion  of  the  moraUy  iU-oonrti- 
lilted.  ' 

'Bpenoer,  "  Sooial  Statios, 


40        THE  SOCUL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIAKITT 

J.   But  mail— nature's  iMurgeiitgoii-JiMoonieiipoii 

the  scene  and  is  resisting  this  decree  of  nature ;  by  hii 
will  he  is  modifying  "not  only  man's  own  histoiy  but 
that  of  the  whole  Uving  world  and  the  fa<5e  of  the  planet 
on  which  lie  ezists.  Man  is  natoiw^  rebel  Where 
nature  says  die,  man  says,  I  will  live."'    Not  only 
80,  bit  Christian  man  has  further  resisted  the  natural 
process  and  has  sought  to  keep  alive  the  weak  and 
Bckly,  the  mal^ndowed  and  the  defective,  and  has 
made  it  possible  for  them  both  to  forviye  and  to  per. 
petuate  their  kind.   This  is  not  all,  bat  in  thew  latter 
times  he  has  called  to  his  aid  tiie  resources  of  science 
and  the  BkiU  of  surgery  to  keep  the  most  unpromising 
alive  and  to  ghiekl  them  from  the  sentence  of  death 
AU  this  IS  proper  and  right,  and  every  lover  of  his  kind 
must  rejoice  in  this  growing  dominance  of  the  Christian 
fipint.   Modem  society  being  more  and  more  motived 
by  the  8{Hrit  of  Christ,  wiU  never  aUow  tiie  defective 
and  unfit  to  live  nnoared  for  and  to  die  nnpitied.  In 
fact  as  time  goes  on  the  Christian  spirit  will  more  and 
more  summon  to  its  aid  scientific  knowledge  to  keep 
!ive^^*^*  from  perishing  and  to  keep  the  sioUy 

By  aU  this,  as  careful  students  and  workers  ham 
shown,  there  is  created  one  of  the  most  vital  problems 
thathaa  ever  confronted  the  human  race.  In  all  tiiis, 
M  Professor  Unkester  shows,  the  standard  raised  by 
tte  rebel  man  is  different  fnan  the  standard  held  atoft 
by  nature.  Nature's  standaid  is  fitness  and  aduttatioii 
on  the  one  side,  and  efficiency  and  worth  to  society  on 
the  otiier.  Man's  standard  is  food  and  life  for  all,  and 
he  measnres  soooess  by  the  number  of  beings  he  can 


THE  HEW  AGE  AND  ITS  PROBLEMS  41 

keep  in  life.   By  this  means  the  weakly  and  the  unfit 
Me  kept  aUve  and  permitted  to  propagate  after  their 
kmd,  and  that  wodBty  aoomnnktes  ayast  number  of 
unadjusted  human  beings;  nay  wane,  by  tliii  mmaa 
man  defeats  the  process  of  natural  selection,  which  en- 
sures  the  elimination  of  the  unfit ;  and  he  multiplies  the 
nraiber  of  defectives  and  dependents  in  society ;  worse 
stiU  mim  in  keeping  alive  thew  persons  of  tainted  blood 
and  defective  mind  and  making  it  possible  for  them  to 
multiply  after  their  kind,  is  poisoning  the  blood  of  the 
raoe  and  IS  really  promoting  the  degeneracy  of  mankind. 
Than  no  boon,  oertainly  it  is  no  benefit  to  the  nuje  • 
nay,afl  aU  careful  thinkers  see,  this  is  annnpanOlelkd 
calamity  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  race,  and  » 
simply  preparing  the  world  for  disaster  and  de- 

8.  What  then  is  demanded  by  this  crisis  in  human 
affauB  ?  What  is  the  answer  to  this  Sphinx  riddle  of 
social  evolution  ?  We  must  do  far  more  than  aim  to 
^  ^e«ckly  alive  and  preserve  the  mal-endowed 
flran  iaevhablA  extinction;  we  must  do  far  more  than 
remove  hiiidi»iioe8  from  man's  way  and  enable  him  to 
survive  and  propagate.   We  must  do  more  tlum  tlie 

the  tick  keeping  the  weakly  aUve,  shielding  the  m«J- 
endowed  from  deetruotioD.  sWe  must  now  dechixe  that 
•fery  hfe  rfmll  begin  its  ejdstenoe  weU-endowed  and 
<»pable  and  strong.  We  must  guarantee  that  there 
«haU  beno  unfit  and  defective  members  in  society  to 
6e  a  bBrdm  to  themselves  and  to  hinder  the  upward 
ma«h  <rf  the  raoe  We  mnit  create  mch  conditions  in 
society  as  shall  make  it  possible  f <»  emy  life  to  «w 
up  taU  and  strong  and  poie  and  fit 


4a       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBIBTIANITT 

This  is  a  vast  undertaking,  we  admit,  and  it  oalli  lor 

a  synthetic,  scientific,  sociologies  and  ChriEtian  pro- 
gram,  but  nothing  less  than  this  is  the  task  set  before 
BMB  U>4a,j,  aad  no  other  kind  of  program  can  meet  the 
vagmay  oi  the  crisis.  That  is  to  say,  «  civilized  man 
has  proceeded  so  far  in  his  interference  with  extni^Q. 
man  nature,  has  produced  for  himself  and  the  living  or- 
ganism  associated  with  him  such  a  special  state  of 
things  by  his  rebeUion  against  natural  selection  and  his 
defiaooe  of  nature's  pire>liiiman  dispositions,  that  lie  most 
either  go  on  and  acquire  firmer  control  of  the  condi- 
tions, or  perish  miserably  by  the  vengeance  certain  to 
fall  on  the  half-hearted  meddler  with  great  affairs." 
In  other  words,  Christian  man  must  now  learn  how  to 
ap^aise  all  the  faoton  that  enter  into  the  life  of  man, 
heredity,  environment,  personal  wiU  and  divine  grace, 
and  must  so  use  these  factors  that  together  they  shall 
worit  for  man's  whole  progress  and  perfection ;  he  must 
know  how  to  manage  all  the  f <aces  of  the  univene  for 
the  advantage  and  superiority  of  the  race ;  he  must  be- 
gin to  subsidize  and  use  the  mighty  agencies  of  the 
Church,  the  FamUy,  the  State  and  the  School  in  behalf 
of  thcM  great  ends.  There  is  no  retreat  for  him  from 
this  way ;  he  must  control  these  forces  and  l^wtors;  he 
must  resolutely  undertake  the  larger  work  of  social  re- 
form and  reconstruction ;  in  fine,  Christian  effort  to-day 
mnst  be  much  wider  in  its  scope  than  church  evangel- 
ism and  personal  regeneration ;  Christian  charity  must 
do  more  than  run  soup  kitchens  and  build  hosptels;  11 
must  become  social,  industrial,  scientific  and  sociological, 
and  must  seek  the  redemption  of  society.    The  probl^ 
pkOanikropy  to-day  ia  the  j>roblem  of  social  reeon^ 
tituctton. 


IHl  HEW  AOE  AND  ITS  PROBLEMS  48 

IIL  The  Failfbe  op  Individual  Effort 
One  other  line  of  inquiry  may  be  foUowed,  and  at  its 
«idw»  wffldiwover  the  great  proWem  before  us.  One 
other  aspect  of  the  present  problem  may  be  noted,  and 

then  the  great  task  will  be  clearly  suggested. 

1.  As  every  one  knows,  great  things  have  been  done 
in  the  name  of  Christ  during  the  past  nineteen  cen- 
turies. Milliooa  of  sonb  have  been  tamed  from  sin 
unto  righteousness,  and  have  been  saved  for  livci  of 
purity  and  power.  Great  changes  have  been  wrought 
m  human  society  and  many  an  evil  has  gone  never  to 
wtanL  No  one  who  haa  studied  history  is  inclined  to 
minimize  these  results  or  to  ignora  these  Omia  Ckritti. 
But  thus  far  in  the  history  of  Christian  effort  men  have 
thrown  chief  emphasis  upon  the  salvation  of  individuals, 
and  aa  a  consequence  they  have  hardly  "o^itflmplatcid 
the  salvation  of  society. 

The  fact  is  that  the  methods  thus  hr  followed  hxn 
not  produced  the  largest  results  and  they  have  not  by 
any  means  wrought  the  redemption  of  the  world.  And 
tlie  fiMst  is  abo  that  the  method  of  mdividual  work  for 
individuals  ghrea  no  hopo  d  tlie  sahatioa  of  sodety 
withm  any  measurable  time.  It  would  be  a  gross  m^ 
statement  to  say  that  the  social  and  moral  condition  of 
the  cities  of  the  world  has  not  unproved  at  all  in  his- 
toric tinfl^  tet  it  is  the  simple  trath  to  say  that  the 
progress  in  these  cities  is  so  dow  and  imoertain  as  to 
be  ahnost  unnoticed.  It  is  needless  here  to  adduce 
evidence  indictmg  the  great  cities  of  Christendom,  for 
this  evidenoe  is  known  to  alL   London  is  confessedly 

the  grea*«t  fifty  in  the  wwM ;  and  y«t  Lwidon  is  ui 
standing  reproach  of  Christendom.  Thus  General  Boo^ 
says:  "Talk  about  Dante's  H«U  and  •&  the  heim 


44       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAHITr 

and  cruelties  of  the  torture  chamber  of  the  kM  I  The 

man  who  walks  with  open  eyes  and  bleeding  heart 
through  the  shambles  of  our  civilization  needs  no  such 
fantartie  images  of  the  poet  to  teach  him  horror" 
Hoxley's  striking  deKsriptkms  <rf  oonditiont  in  the  East 
End  of  London  are  well  known ;  and  he  deckres  that 
among  the  lowest  savages  of  New  Guinea  he  had  fouLd 
that  the  rarroondings  were  more  conducive  to  a  decent 
and  moral  eziiteiioe  than  in  some  parts  of  the  city 
wi!derr  >s8;  and  if  he  had  to  choose  between  the 
two  :;iost  distinctly  he  would  choose  the  former 
jta  London  it  is  found  that  there  is  a  Submerged 
Tenth,  caaght  by  the  maelstrom  and  sinking  in  the 
flood,  abandoned  and  de^Muring,  withont  Ood  and 
without  hope.   Above  this  is  a  larger  class  in  poTcrtr 
-at  least  thirty  per  cent,  of  the  total,-who  are 
nnaWe  to  obtain  those  necessaries  of  life  which  wiU 
peradt  them  to  maintain  a  state  of  physical  efficiency. 
In  Scotland  also,  according  to  oiBdal  fignres,  o?«r  OM- 
third  of  the  families  live,  in  a  single  room,  and  mora 
than  two-thirds  in  only  two  rooms.   The  man  who 
walks  through  the  wynds  and  closes  of  Edinburgh  and 
Wa^gow  with  open  eyes  is  tempted  at  times  to  call  for 
the  crack  of  doom  to  come  and  end  it  alL 

What  is  true  of  London  is  no  less  true  of  New  York 
City.  It  is  true  that  economic  conditions  are  somewhat 
in  the  Old  World,  but  none  the  less 
ttefwte  are  appalling.  In  1890,  aeewding  to  Bishop 
Huntmgton,  recent  certified  revekUons  have  Itid  *jai« 
the  multiplied  horrors  and  depravities  of  the  ttuement 
popoktaon  m  great  cities,  where  forty-one  out  of  every 
hundred  fmilies  Bve  in  a  single  room,  and  where  ^ 
poowK  pay  more  for  nut  than  the  lioheet  Ibr  «mf 


TBM  new  A6I  AMD  m  PIOBLIMS  40 

oqUo  foot  of  space  and  air."  New  York  is  one  of  the 
riohMt  itatM  bt  Ibe  ITiiion,  and  jet  the  reports  of  the 
State  Board  of  Oharitiei  show  that  fram  ymt  to  jitr 

about  twenty-four  per  cent,  of  the  people  apply  fbr 
relief  of  some  kind.  And  most  tragic  of  all,  from  year 
to  year  ten  per  cmt  at  all  those  who  die  in  Kew  York 
City  an  buried  in  Fbfetsr^  Field.  Id  1900  in  K«ir 
York  State  a  commission  was  created  to  invwt^ito 
tenement  conditions  in  New  York  City.  After  several 
days'  investigation  in  silent  amazement  the  upstate 
memben  of  the  oommiBiioii  dedand  «  New  York  oacht 
to  be  abolished." 

2.   In  these  and  other  cities  of  Ghristeodom  Ohria- 
tian  mm  have  been  at  work  for  generations  and  for 
oentorisi  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  seeking  to 
save  iCNiIsy  baiUiiig  oharBhea  and  fooading  hospitals. 
And  yet  to^lay,  as  we  study  the  social  and  moral  om- 
dition  of  these  cities,  it  is  not  easy  to  see  wherein  they 
are  improving  from  generation  to  generation.  Indeed, 
ihmn  are  fthoagfatftd  people  not  a  few  who  declare  that 
the  great  cities  of  the  world  are  dsgeDavating  and  that 
the  churches  are  ste  lily  losing  ground.   Be  all  this  at 
it  may,  be  there  any  real  progress  or  not,  the  fact  re- 
vaain  that  the  progress  is  so  slow  and  so  disi^ipointing 
that  wie  ea&  hardly  measure  its  gains.  In  these  cities 
millions  of  people  are  unblessed  by  the  Qo^mI  mSi  Ut« 
without  any  of  the  things  that  make  for  ■*ii»i»ntifii, 
hope  and  lov& 

On  the  one  iidd  we  have  the  spectacle  of  millions  of 
people  alienated  from  tiw  efampslies  and  wkoOj  indtf. 
ferent  to  the  gospel  message.  The  churches  are  for 
the  fortunate  few,  they  say;  religion  is  good  enough 
ISpr  those  who  have  time  for  it  And  on  the  other  side 


46        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  dUUSTUVITT 

we  see  the  Christian  worker  baffled  At  mrtom  hw 
-ooial  conditions  and  fenced  away  from  the  W»plt  S 
tel^lr^;:!!?^*^  WhileconditiSns^«,ii 

Sf  \  ^  ^^^^^^'^  ^  ^«  people  with 
the  gospel  message ;  and  while  coi»dltk».      « thaj 

aw  It  IS  ahnoflt  impossible  for  the  oonverfc  to  prmJi 

tA»  ^gdom  wiU  never  come  in  any  measurable  time- 
the  redemption  of  the«»  eitie.  by  4  present  metZ. 
w  so  remote  that  it  can  herfl>  be  ««rid«S 
human  contingency.  With  economic  and  iocW  ocmdi. 
ttoM  as  they  are  in  these  cities  it  is  practically  impoe- 
w  ll  ^  ««y  <rf  the  people  Jdth  the  Gospel 
With  home  conditkm.     th^TSe  »d  with 

»«no«sly  handicap,     and  finds  himsST^warted  at 
evoy  By  tne  individualistic  method  of  work 

that  tt,  by  individual  work  on  individuals,  tiiererno 
near  prospect  of  the  redemption  of  theeeeWefc 
condition  as  they  are,  that  is,  with  the  environment  a. 
1^       ?  ^      ""'^    handicaps  as  now  exist,  the 
<rf  these  dtiee  :  J  aa  indefinite  possibility.  The 

IV.  Th«  Soudabitt  of  Humanity 
«nL  ^^J^  ^  that  must  be 

before  us.   In  the  past  generation  or  two  ttan  hai 

S^^r  ^J^r^  °«"^Ptio^of  one  of  themci 
^  teuUui  of  life,  the  Solidarity  of  Humanity. 

■enae  of  humai%  and  men  ■»  tattaiBg  that  the  H»e 


TUB  NSW  AOS  AVD  RB  PBOBLBMS  47 

ii  •  QBii  The  proTidenoei  of  God,  the  pioceiMs  of 
We,  and  the  progreM  of  MMiet^  an  mealing  the  unity 
of  the  world  and  the  oneneii  of  mankind,  and  v 
making  explicit  in  human  thought  what  has  from  the 
beginning  been  implicit  in  human  life.  In  the  light 
Off  idaBtifio  inveitigation  men  are  ooming  to  see  that 
the  unity  of  the  race  is  no  fictiaii,  but  th*  nioel  real 
and  potent  of  facts.   In  the  light  of  sociological 
thought  also  men  are  coming  to  perceive  the  implica- 
^  and  meanings  of  this  great  truth.  And  in  the 
OifiAci  thk  troth  of  hmnan  aoUdaiity  men  aie  oom- 
ing  to  perceive  the  larger  meaning  of  thoia  taita  ot 
Scripture  that  teach  the  unity  of  the  race  in  da  and 
redemption.  And  out  of  it  aU  there  is  coming  to  men 
the  oonyiotion  that  the  centuries  and  the  generations 
are  all  bound  up  together  in  the  one  bnikUa  of  Uf e. 
that  the  first  man's  life  is  so  linked  ir  with  the  laat 
man's  life  that  one  without  the  other  cannot  be- 
come perfect,  and  that  men  are  all  unitedly  to  attain 

nnto  the  knowledgaolthaSoacrf  God,  unto  the  per- 
feet  man,  unto  tba  xmrnmci  the atatnia of  tiia^ 
ness  of  Christ. 

"  The  crowning  discovery  of  modem  physioal  sdenoe 
.       ™«7<rf  the  universe,  the  oneness  of  aU  thinm 
vifflble  and  inviaiUe  in  one  great  system  of  matter 
and  force  and  law."  •   The  universe  w«  ha^  diM»r. 
Med  IS  one,  and  atom  is  linked  with  atom  and  star  ii 

cannot  be  broken.  The 
^wnwohieM  ot  our  fields,  the  comfort  of  our  homes, 
the  very  habitability  of  our  depend  rxpoa  tte 
conditions  of  a  body  a  hundred  million  of  miles  dia- 
tant.  There  is  no  atom  which  does  not  influence  tba 
Lamnel  Mon,  "UMaaarj  CteilMMiy  iiflrwiH,"  p,  17a. 


48       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CULiSTIANITY 

wtire  universe.   "  I  mj**  protestt  Carljle,  in  itriUiiff 
plurawology,  "there  is  no  Red  Indian  hunting  by 
Like  Winnipeg  can  quarrel  with  his  squaw,  but  the 
wlioto  wwM  mim  nurt  far  it;  will  not  the  price  of 
beaver  rise?  It  is  a  m^^fc^-^fitigri  Ibet  that  th* 
casting  of  this  pebble  from  my  hand  alten  the  oentra 
of  gravity  of  the  universe." '   The  world  is  an  organic 
totaUty  and  all  things  move  together  because  aU  things 
■w  linked  together.  One  thing  is  le  it  is  because^ 
other  things  are  as  they  are.   The  dmpket  ibot  im- 
plies and  involves  the  whole  universe  of  troth.  To 
know  any  single  fact  in  the  world  in  its  causes  and 
wwlti  ii  to  know  aU  facts  from  the  hour  when  the 

^""^  •^"„"n«*08^tiUthe«laitajllaWeo£ 
nooroed  tiiii&** 

"Flower  in  the  crannied  wall, 
I  pluck  yon  out  of  the  crannies. 
Hold  you  here,  root  and  all,  in  my  hand. 
WtUe  flower— but  if  I  could  understand 
What  you  are,  root  and  all,  and  all  in  alL 
I  alMmid  know  iHiatGod  and  man  ia." 

That  is  both  ezqoiaite  poetry  and  exact  usieBoa  To 
know  one  thing  is  to  know  all  things. 

2,  These  facts  of  the  physical  and  material  world 
aje  only  parables  of  human  life  and  its  relationships. 
When  we  oome  to  the  study  of  man  we  find  that  this 
truth  of  soUdarity  is  most  lominoas  and  moat  fiitefnl 
The  most  certain  fact  about  man  is  his  rehitkoahfaa 
with  other  men.  The  race  is  one  and  not  many ;  it 
is  an  organic  whole  and  it  cannot  be  resolved  into 
a  number  of  isokted  -dividaali  each  oomplete  in  him- 
aelf  and  each  sufBdent  onto  himaelf.  The  vwy  ooa- 


TBI  HXW  AOB  AHD  I«  PnOBUEIfg  49 

caption  of  an  individual  impUes  a  larger  whole  of 
wWoh  th*  iwUtidnal  It  bat  a  part.  The  indiviUoal 
la  nothing  apart  from  the  lif e  ol  tto  ism;  and  fit 

life  of  the  race  finds  expression  in  and  through  the 
life  of  the  individual   The  Gulf  Stream  is  in  the 
ooew  Md  the  ocean  is  in  the  Gulf  Stream.  Society 
18  the  fundameotal  fut  aiid  is  an  essential  oondiUon 
to  the  development  of  personality.   "  It  would  be  as 
impossible  to  develop  a  personaUty  without  human 
■omety  as  it  would  to  convey  sound  in  a  vacuum  or 
to  KoMi  life  wfthoot  an  ttmoq>here."  •  There  can 
be  self^nsdousness  only  tbrou^  loeiftl  een^qionsiMaa. 
We  know  ourselves  because  we  know  otht       Tan  by 
the  very  constitution  of  his  being  is  a  creature  uf  rela- 
ttonships,  and  it  is  only  in  and  through  these  rektion- 
■hips  that  becomee  to  «et«rfly  tad  power.  The  Uw 
IS  written  deep  and  clear  in  the  natore  of  auui  thai 
man  comes  to  man's  estate  in  and  through  feUowshin. 
The  kw  does  not  read :  You  ought  not  to  break  fellow. 
1^  with  your  kind  and  seek  to  live  for  yourself  alone. 
Tlie  law  really  reads:  Ton  cannot  live  by  yourself 
alone  and  be  a  man.   Forever  we  shall  be  members 
one  of  another,  dependent  one  upon  the  other,  rising 
or  Mling  as  our  fellows  rise  or  fall   The  whole  race 
U  bound  np  togetket  ki  a  m^darikj  of  life  and  in- 
terests  and  responsibilities.   Each  nwrnkw  ettwiieBienti 
tte  others,  and  he  Uves  himself  by  helping  others  live. 

"  ®'  ^  fortunes  are  in  the  keeping  of  the 
wae^id  we  are  made  rich  or  poor  in  the  riches  or 
PcwrtjrofalL  We  are  tfce  poorer  or  the  richer,  the 
weaker  or  the  stronger,  the  better  or  the  wowa^  fer  the 
virtues  and  vices,  the  diseases  or  the  health,  the  kidM- 


50       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITr 

try  or  the  indolence  of  the  people  who  pcridMd 
other  lands  before  the  Pyramids  were  built.   The  gms 
and  mistakes  of  long  dead  empires  cast  their  shadows 
ow  our  dvilizatioii  and  we  must  pay  the  penalty  of 
crimes  committed  by  foiigotten  and  miknowit  natbnt. 

3.   Two  things  are  implied  in  this  which  we  most 
notice  but  cannot  consider  in  detail.   First :  To  have 
good  mm  we  must  hme  a  good  social  <yrd^.   It  is 
not  neoessaiy  to  disonss  this  in  full,  for  some  aspects 
of  this  fact  will  be  considered  in  &  kter  chapter ;  but 
we  note  here  the  problem  which  we  disooM  later.  The 
newer  psychology  recognizes  that  we  are  influenced  in 
oar  deeper  and  more  temperamental  dispositions  by  the 
life  habits  and  modes  of  oondiiot  of  nnnmnberad  hosts 
of  ancestors,  which  like  a  cloud  of  witnesses  are  piee. 
ent  throughout  our  Uves,  and  that  our  souls  are  echo 
chambers  in  which  their  whispers  reverberate.'  The 
individual  is  made  befove  he  becomes  aware  of  his  indi- 
viduaUty.   For  this  reason  they  who  woold  begin  the 
work  of  man's  salvation  with  the  individual  begin  too 
far  up  tlie  scale  for  their  efforts  to  be  fully  effective. 
The  individual  is  himself  a  result  and  a  social  product 
and  we  most  therefore  go  beUnd  hhn  to  ensnre  oom< 
plete  success.   The  fact  is  a  thousand  things  tie  deter- 
mined in  the  life  and  decided  for  the  individual  befora 
he  has  come  to  self-consciousness  and  self-determina- 
tion. Heawdity  has  done  much,  and  the  early  atmoe- 
phere  has  done  more.   His  life  has  reedved  fbnn  and 
shape  before  ever  his  own  reason  and  will  hive  any 
voice  in  the  matter.    The  recognition  of  this  simple 
f^  will  clear  the  air  and  make  useless  a  number  of 
cant  phrases. 


THE  »BW  AOB  AKD  ITS  PROBLEMS  61 

For  this  reason  they  who  say  that  the  whole  problem 
of  life  and  salvation  is  a  personal  problem  ignore 
some  of  the  most  vital  facts  of  life.  We  an  told  that 
the  questions  of  crime  and  poverty,  intempenuioe  and 
failure  are  wholly  individual  questions.   If  men  are 
Tidous  it  is  beoause  they  prefer  vice  to  virtue.   If  they 
aie  oriminals  it  is  beoaose  they  have  ohosen  a  criminal 
course.   If  they  are  poor  it  is  because  they  ara  ineffi- 
cient or  slothful.   If  they  make  a  failure  of  Ufe  it  is 
beoa,use  they  neglect  their  opportunities  and  are  not 
^"Uing  to  pay  the  price  of  success.   There  is  some 
truth  here,  but  like  many  half  tmths  it  may  become  a 
whole  falsehood.   Granted  that  one  man  ohoosea  to  ibt 
low  a  vicious  Ufe ;  but  why  does  he  choose  it  ?  Granted 
that  another  is  inefficient  and  misses  his  chances  in  life ; 
yet  why  ii  he  blind  and  inefficient?  The  answer  is 
hidden  in  the  mystery  of  pflanonality,  we  aie  told; 
man  chooses  as  he  does  because  he  is  what  he  is.  But 
as  an  explanation  this  explains  nothing.   Why  does 
man  prefer  and  choose  the  evil  rather  than  the  good  ? 
»    alia  matter  crfnatnraldqiravity,  we  are  assured; 
man  is  evil  and  being  evil  he  natnrally  pnian  evil  to 
good.   Then  why  do  not  all  men  so  choose  all  of  the 
time  and  under  all  ciroumstances  ?  It  is  the  grace  of 
God  acting  upon  the  hearts  and  wills  of  men  that  move 
and  induce  them  to  rafne  the  «vil  and  ohooie  the  good, 
we  are  informed.   Then  does  this  imply  that  the  gnoe 
of  God  comos  to  some  men  with  irresistible  power  and 
not  to  aU  men  in  the  same  way  ?  The  deeper  we  go 
into  homan  life  the  more  dear  it  becomes  that  many 
thiogs  influence  the  will  and  inctaoe  certain  mmiiai  of 
conduct.   As  a  matter  of  fact  heredity  determines  much 
in  life;  it  determines  whether  a  life  ihaU  begin  ita 


69       TEE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITr 

jo«ni«y  with  tainted  blood  and  weighted  will ;  it  de- 
termines in  a  large  measnra  the  power  of  the  aool  to 

see  visions  and  dream  dreams.   Then,  from  the  hour 
of  birth  environment  begins  to  colour  and  influence  the 
life  and  to  decide  whether  one  shall  have  a  bent 
towards  good  at  toward*  evil,  and  shaU  find  it  hard  or 
easy  to  do  right.   All  the  way  through  life,  out  of  the 
environment  nome  many  voices,  some  sweet  and  tender 
and  cheering,  some  harsh  and  repellent  and  tempting, 
-to  woo  the  aool  into  the  way  of  light  and  love  or  to 
drive  it  away  into  darkness  and  evil  Granted  that 
the  wiU  is  a  creative  first  cause;  granted  that  every 
man  is  the  maker  of  his  own  Kfe  and  the  son  of  his 
own  deeds ;  yet  ae  a  matter  of  fact  the  atmosphere  in 
whidi  he  Mves  affecti  his  whde  inner  life  and  exerts 
a  constant  pressure  upon  his  will  And  so  it  is  that 
from  the  cradle  to  the  grave  environment  acts  and  re- 
acts upon  the  life  to  move  it  and  to  mould  it.  The 
most  fateful  years  in  life  are  the  first  five ;  and  this  is 
the  time  when  the  life  ia  snbjeot  to  its  environment  and 
before  self-consciousness  and  self-direction  are  aroused. 
In  a  krge  sense  man's  life  has  its  bent  and  direction, 
its  colour  and  tone  before  it  has  b^gun  to  reason  and 
<Aoose.  It  is  a  fact  aooepted  by  all  leading  sociologists 
that  man  is  a  psychic  being;  the  worid  (A  homan 
society  is  not  the  grinding  of  machinery  but  the  play  of 
psychic  factors.   That  is  to  say,  men'y  sentiments,  feel- 
ings, ideas  and  ideals  determine  their  thought  and  voli- 
tions. Analyring  these  nM»e  fa  detail  we  may  say  that 
their  sentiments  and  ideas,  of  freedom  and  love,  of 
justice  and  honesty,  and  the  like  determine  their  actions 
and  conduct.   But  where  do  men  get  their  notions  and 
«••§?  They  do  not  drop  ready  made  out  of  the  sky. 


THE  NEW  AGE  AND  ITS  PBOBLEMS  68 

And  they  do  not  grow  up  spontaneously  out  of  the  soil 
of  human  life.  They  are  derived  rather  from  "the 
actual  life  of  simple  and  wide^read  forms  of  society, 
like  the  family,  or  the  pby  gKrap.>*  'Mm*»  kteaa  of 
justice  and  right,  of  honesty  and  goodnea^  anpnrt  ud 
parcel  of  their  whole  psychic  experience ;  as  any  one 
can  see  for  himself  men's  particular  conceptions  of  what 
is  right  and  wrong,  just  and  unjust  are  odoorad  and 
determined  by  their  particular  social  aHmxmpben  and 
social  fellowship.  The  standards  are  social  before  they 
are  individual ;  before  the  individual  is  old  enough  to 
disceni  for  himself  between  right  and  wron^  he  has 
lived  in  the  presenoe  of  sooial  ataodaids  whidi  hkv 
determined  his  particular  judgments.  "We  say  that 
men  ought  to  do  right  and  love  God ;  but  they  will  not 
want  to  do  right  unless  right  is  a  part  of  the  group 
■tandaid;  they  will  not  be  intererted  in  religious  things 
unless  they  are  suggested  fay  their  aocial  ataao^iun. 
In  the  most  real  sense  to  haTe  good  mm  we  BHMt  hsve 
a  good  social  order. 

Seeond :  To  tame  one  toe  mutt  save  aU.  According 
to  the  Christian  Scriptures  the  human  race  has  beomne 
involved  with  Adam  in  a  solidarity  <rf  sin  and  need; 
through  the  disobedience  of  one  the  many  are  made 
sinners ;  in  some  way  the  sin  of  the  first  man  reaches 
thro^  all  his  deaoendaats  and  affects  every  child 
born  into  the  world.*  Theve  hvn  bean  ■tatementi  el 
this  truth  so  hard,  so  repugnant,  so  artificial  that  they 
have  cast  a  shadow  across  the  eternal  throne  and  have 
ontraged  the  best  instincts  of  hunuuiity.  That  men 
dKmkl  outgrow  these  ooooeptiaaa,  that  they  should 
tarn  fm.  them  in  wearinaas  and  wrath,  to  perfaa^  in- 


U        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHJUSTUHITr 

evitable  and  neoessaiy.  But  straogelj  enough  in  thii 

time  when  the  old  theological  doctrine  is  losing  its  hold 
upon  men  the  study  of  sociology  is  enunciating  the  same 
troth  in  terms  even  more  positive  and  inclusive.  To- 
day it  is  beooming  most  certain  that  the  sin  of  one  man 
reaches  through  aU  generations  and  affects  every  child 
of  the  human  ra<5e.  The  race  is  so  truly  one  that  the  sin 
of  the  first  man  lives  on  in  others  involving  endless  and 
world-wide  consequences.  CaU  it  what  we  will,— terms 
ngnify  Uttle— the  fuA  remains  that  the  race  is  hiTdved 
in  a  soUdarity  of  sin  and  need  and  bondage.  The  evil 
rerolts  of  one  man's  deeds  do  not  end  with  the  person 
brt  they  mvolve  and  aflfect  all  the  relations  of  his  being. 

Humamly  is  not  an  aggregate  of  atoms ;  it  rather  re- 
sembles  a  tree  whose  leaves  aie  distioet  while  at  the 
same  tmie  they  partake  of  the  common  life  and  qnati- 
ties  of  the  stem  with  which  they  are  organicaUy  con- 
nected." •  As  the  diseased  hand  affects  the  health  of 
tho  whole  body,  so  the  ooiiditi<m  of  one  man  affects 
the  life  of  the  whole  race. 

Not  only  so,  but  the  sin  in  the  heart  of  man  ez- 
presMs  and  realizes  itself  in  and  through  the  multiplex 
relations  of  his  being  and  vitiates  them  alL   Sin  may 
reveal  itself  not  only  m  the  hidividnal  life  in  wrong 
motives  but  in  the  social  realm  in  wrong  relatbns.  It 
may  embody  itself  in  wrong  sentimen^  in  selfish  cus- 
tcmis,  m  unjust  practices,  in  hurtful  institutions.  So- 
ciety instead  of  being  the  kindly  matrix  in  which  the 
unfoldmg  life  is  nurtured  into  fullness  of  being  and 
D^uty  of  character  becomes  the  mal^nant  nurse  hy 
whom  the  incipient  life  is  hurt  and  poisoned.   No  man 
MM  be  a  social  philosopher  to  know  that  something  is 


THI  HEW  AGB  AMD  ITS  PIOBLBMS  S5 

wrong  in  the  sodal,  the  political,  the  industrial  idte* 
tknflofmflo.  The  tta  ud  lelfiahneM  in  the  heart  and 
will  of  maa  manifert  themselves  in  the  manifold  acts 
of  his  being  and  permeate  the  multiform  relations  of 
his  life.  Bat  even  beyond  this  the  actions  of  man  may 
hare  a  wider  reach  and  may  involve  cosmic  conse* 
quences.  In  reading  the  aoo(nmt  of  the  beginnings  of 
sin  in  Qenesis  we  find  the  intimation  that  in  some  way 
nature  became  involved  in  the  sin  of  man.  Ttfilt*"! 
says: 

"  Earth  felt  the  wound,  aud  nature  from  her  seat 
Sighii^  through  all  her  worlu,  save  aUm  of  woe 
TIia*iSw«itort.»» 

The  Scriptures  give  no  warrant  for  the  doctrine  that 
matter  in  itself  is  evil ;  but  they  plainly  imply  that  the 
ground  has  been  cursed  for  man's  sake.  The  poison  in 
the  iMart  of  man  has  passed  oot  into  the  unconscious 
instruments  and  circumstances  of  hki  crime  and  hm  af- 
fected them.  "According  to  the  Bible  there  would 
appear  to  be  some  mysterious  sympathy  between  man 
and  nature.  Man  not  only  governs  nature  but  he  in- 
feeti  and  iafon&a  her.  As  the  maal  life  of  the  soul 
expresses  itself  in  the  phyiioal  life  of  the  body  lor  the 
latter's  health  or  corruption,  so  the  conduct  of  the 
human  race  affects  the  physical  life  of  the  universe  to 
the  furtheit  limits  of  spaca" '  Paul  declares  that  the 
whe^  (ffei^n  beoune  subject  to  vanity  in  and  Uoot^ 
man  and  it  groans  and  travails  togeUmr  with 
waiting  for  the  redemption  of  man.  Between  man  and 
iMtare  there  is  the  most  vital  bond  of  unity  and  soli- 

'Gm.  AdaaBaiilli,  "Iniah,"  ToL  I,  4iai 


56       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBBTIAinTT 
darity.   In  some  way  the  dn  of  man  has  projected  It- 

I?!^*^.**' ^  oorrupted  and  de^ 
<J«tod  it  Sin  i.  a  land  of  dynamic  introduced  into 
the  scheme  of  nature  whioh  SOb  it  with  confusion  and 
disorder.  The  laws  of  nature  continne  m  Uhn,  m 
Horace  Bushnell  has  pointed  out,  but  the  conjunction 
<tf  causes  is  unnatural;  man  sets  causes  to  work  whose 

ontoome  in  nafcare  is  malevolent  and  destructive.  We 
know  only  too  sadly  how  the  miideedi  <rf  mmhav* 
cast  a  ^ow  and  blight  over  the  whole  animal  amr 

fc!"*        J'''°'^  ^  ereed  and  blunders 

have  turned  some  of  the  fairest  spots  of  earth  into  hot- 
beds  of  fever  and  di««sa  Many  of  tiie  once  most 
fertUe  lands  of  the  globe  are  now  bamn  WMtes  beotue 
of  the  crimes  and  abuses  of  man. 

According  to  tiie  Scriptures  the  second  Adam  has 
oome  and  hat  wrought  the  redemption  of  the  world. 
We  have  seen  how  the  wliok  laoe  is  involved  in  a  soU- 
danty  of  sm  and  need;  how  the  whole  sodal  order  it 
affected,  and  how  the  whple  creation  itself  is  involved 
travail  Md  expectation  waiting  for  the  redemption 
of  man.  This  truth,  eo  adlenm,  so  real,  so  momentou. 
does  not  stand  alone  but  is  pawUeUed  and  matdiedbr 
the  other  great  truth  that  the  world  in  Christ  has 
c^partaker  m  a  solidarity  of  redemption  and  life,  a 
wdonption  that  is  world-wide,  aU-inclusive,  as  broad  as 
the  creation  ilaelf.  Many  thing,  are  hnplied  in  tiiis 
which  are  worthy  of  tiie  most  carafol  oouidenitioii  • 
but  we  can  notice  only  one  or  two  here.  * 
This  means  for  one  tiling  tiiat  the  redemption  is 
wMe^hmg  and  all-inclusive.   There  have  been  in- 
^rotations  of  Christi«rf1y  »  haid,  so  nanow,  so  ex- 
ohmve  that  we  do  not  woodtt  the  world  has  toned 


TBI  Kiw  Jam  Am  m  pboblbms  st 


•way  in  duaitpomtment  and  despair.  The  great  word 
ndfloqitioa  hm  ben  naed  in  nioh  a  nanow  and  me- 

ohanioal  sense  that  it  has  beoi  Mbbad  of  iti  dirfae  aad 

wonderful  meaning.   Redemption  is  a  most  compre. 
hjnsive  word  and  oompesses  every  relation  and  realm 
of  mMi'a  being.   The  meaning  of  the  word  oiroum- 
■oribei  a  oiroto  idiieh  gathers  up  in  ite  significanoe  the 
whole  purpose  of  God  in  the  world.  TIm  muk  wko  ii 
completely  saved  is  saved  in  aU  his  reUtions,  body 
mind  and  spirit,  family,  church  and  society.  The 
aanpthre  purpose  of  Christ  is  aa  wide  as  human  life 
and  as  comprehensive  aa  the  Idj^jdom of  God.  Thkm- 
demption  is  a  unity,  a  whole,  a  totality ;  it  meant  that 
man  cannot  be  saved  in  sections  and  fragments;  no 
■Ma  is  completely  saved  till  he  is  saved  in  all  the  le!*- 
tioos  of  his  bsing  and  all  the  realms  of  his  life. 

This  means  further  that  the  redempkiim  of  OM  aea  It 
fulflUed  in  and  tiirough  the  redemption  of  his  f ellowa 
"The  individual  is  only  a  citizen,"  says  Martensen, 
Md  oaa  therefore  also  only  become  perfected  witii  the 
whole  people  of  God  OB  earth.***  life     matter  of  k». 
lationships  and  the  rightening  and  perleotiiig  of  thwii 
relations  is  the  redemption  and  f  ulfiUment  of  life.  Each 
tem  of  a  relation  involves  the  fortune  and  fate  of  the 
A  reiatk»  it  not  perfect  while  either  tenn  is 
imperfect.   The  redemptkm  of  niaa  fc  the  rightening 
of  the  reh«tions  of  his  being,  and  the  work  of  redemp. 
tion  goes  forward  as  fast  and  as  far  as  these  relations 
we  rightened.  And  so  it  becomes  evident  that  the  re- 
daa^ve  pnipoee  0f  Cteist  ie  ftOflBad  hi  and  t^ 
the  redemption  of  the  family  and  soojal  NlttioMfaSii 
of  man,  as  well  as  through  his  personal  ^'[^^^^ 


68 


THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISIUVITr 


being.   The  crowning,  culminating  thought  of  ,„,— 
^  ii  not  the  salvation  of  men  out  of  the  world,  but 
tbe  mtntiaa  of  men  in  the  world ;  it  is  not  an  indi- 
vidual  bat  a  lofliia  goiO.  The  Holy  City  which  he 
who  saw  the  Apocalypse  "  reveals  fa  sol  lo  madk  » 
place  as  a  people;  it  is  a  city  in  which  human  life  is 
most  mtense,  human  dependencies  are  most  real  and 
^iBMa  ninktriei  am  mort  necessary.  Upon  our  aiffht 
thejre  \mmkB  the  rUoa  of  a  oity  in  w&i  dwdtoth 
nghteonsness,  a  humanity  by  the  services  and  SMrifioM 
of  its  members  building  itself  up  in  love,  in  which  each 
■MB  seeking  the  welfare  of  others  has  supplied  to  him 
tiia*  wUdi  i,  UMng  in  himMlf,  a  hmnanity  growing 
up  mto  Chnst  m  aU  things  through  themntwaeSiiange 
of  spintual  services  and  fellowships.   Our  veryidral 
fOTbids  us  to  hope  to  attain  selfKjompletoness  and  self- 
■MBeiency.  The  perfection  of  each  man  here  or  here- 

after  is  bound  iq»  with  the  perfeotioii  of  the  whole  peo. 
pie  of  God.  No  man  can  attain  unto  salvatioai  in  aU 
the  reach  and  fnUness  of  the  word  tiU  tho  woild  of 
whidi  he  is  a  part  is  saved.   Not  until  the  race  is 

flBjlly  made  one  in  Christ,  not  until  the  last  man  is  in 
right  relations  with  his  fdlowa  eo  ttrt  the  fslkmriiip 
^  each  with  aU  and  all  with  each  is  complete,  can  mSi 
be  fuUy  saved  and  made  perfect.  Perfection  in  the 
amm  oi  self^ufflcienoy  is  out  of  the  question  for  this 
world  and  for  any  worid.  Ko  man  can  be  perfect  in 
an  imperfect  world.  ±~  m 

And  this  redemptive  purpose  involves  and  demands 
the  redemption  of  the  whole  social  order.  The  ulti- 
nate  purpose  of  Qod  in  the  world  oontempktes  the 
weationof  aperftootaaainaperfeotaooiety.  Theae 
two  alAUMti  and  lMtac%  tha  pvMB  and  tiM  raM^ 


TBI  mm  Mam  jm  m  piobuuis  59 

bl«nd  mto  one  uli  mA  implies  the  other.  Nothing 

kM  or  lower  ttiB  Ibe  perfeotkm  of  man  oan  be  aooapied 
as  the  end  of  Christiani^.  Bvt  9uM  aaaljik  sbowi 
that  this  implies  and  involves  the  perfection  of  the  in. 
dividual  and  of  the  society ;  the  redemption  of  man  is 
fiilfiUad  in  and  through  the  perfection  of  his  personal 
Md  hk  aookl  life;  aad  tU  <mm  ptooess  goes  forward 
j«l  M  fiMi  andasfurastheother.  ItiieidjMMK 
comes  into  relations  with  other  men  that  he  comes  into 
the  fall  knowledge  of  himself ;  it  is  only  as  he  attains 
to  tlM  mUntion  of  the  social  end  that  he  can  attain 
ototfaonaantinefthopenoMleed.  «Lisote« 
we  come  into  rdations  to  other  human  beings  in.  the 
world,  we  are  attaining  to  a  partial  realization  of  the 
ideal  which  our  rational  nature  sets  before  us.  And 
thsie  ii  BO  odMr  way  by  which  we  can  come  to  such  a 
realization.  It  is  o^  ia  tho  Um  <tf  otiier  i»-yii 
beings  that  we  can  find  a  world  in  which  we  can  be 
at  homa"'  There  is  a  great  deal  more  in  this  than  is 
**»**^^  supposed.  The  person  and  the  society  are 
wrtMlfy  «id  irtiiiiatefy  »M«  and  ends,  cause, 
effects.     In  the  fnlfiUment  of  thk&rooMlvwtbitok 
mvolved  the  realization  of  the  lives  of  other  intelligent 
Wngs ;  since  it  is  only  in  the  fulflUment  of  their  intel- 
^gaol  juimm  that  our  own  can  receive  its  fulfillment"  • 
MQ  IMB  mm  wte  tiio  aoat  of  himself  eaoept  fa  aad 
through  the  common  life.  Men  can  enter  into  the  ftdl- 
ness  of  life  and  blessedness  only  in  and  through  the  life 
•nd  blessedness  of  mankind.   What  God  wills  for  one 
bo  ieidiMd  <mty  tiiroi^(h  what  He  wills  for  all 


80       THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OW  CBXtBTUMnT 

And  no  w  we        to  ■••  the  b«Mrii«g  o#  an  thta  npoB 

the  subject  before  M.   To  save  a  nm  li  to  save  him  in 
»U  the  relations  of  his  being.   To  save  others  is  the 
only  way  to  be  saved  oneself.   We  can  lealize  our  true 
■dves  only  by  tmMag  wM  tnds.  Hwnanity  ii 
bound  in  the  bondage  of  the  least  and  lowUert  of  the 
race.   «•  Remember  them  that  are  in  bonds,"  pleads  the 
Apostle,  «as  bound  with  them"   The  bondage,  the 
OiUM,  tlw  mis«7  of  000  k  the  burden,  the  shame,  and 
miMry  of  alL  "No  man  am  be  happy,"  Herbflrt 
Spencer  reminds  us,  «tiU  aU  are  happy;  andaoiiUHi 
can  be  free  till  all  are  free."  «  There  will  be  no  true 
odtuie,"  says  William  Ckrke,  "but  only  a  dilettante- 
tt^nntawehayeaoommoiionltara."  "There  will  be 
no  pure  air  for  the  correctest  Levite  to  btmOm**  my 
Prof.  Henry  Jones,  "till  the  hiws  of  sanitirtion have 
been  appUed  to  the  moral  slums."  The  fortune  and  fate 
of  the  men  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe  are  our  for- 
tame  and  interest  Sodety  may  draw  fta  imaginary 
Imes  of  national  and  social  distinctions  and  may  reaolvi 
tba,t  J ews  shall  have  no  dealings  with  Samaritans.  But 
tlie  facts  of  solidarity  take  no  account  of  these  imagi- 
nary lines.  The  loweat  man  in  the  race  reaches  up  and 
touches  the  highest.  The  plague  «,d  peftOeaoe  bred 
in  the  social  quagmire  are  sometimes  the  most  eflfective 
preachers  of  human  brotherhood,  and  teach  in  emphatic 
tanna  ti^  Qod  hath  made  of  one  blood  aU  nations  of 
men.   We  may  walk  the  streets  with  no  concern  for 
our  brothers,  but  a  hot  breath  from  a  neglected  bfotiMr 
may  send  us  home  to  sicken  and  die.    There  is  no  one 
aeotaon  of  society  which  can  isolate  and  uisulate  itself 
from  the  worid  of  which  it  is  a  part  and  be  secure  and 
atpeaoa.  The  aia,  the  miaery,  the  need  of  tfca  last  maa 


Tn  WMW  AM  AMD  ITl  flOBLIMS  61 

an  onr  bmrden,  our  ihameb  our  reproach.   The  fate  of 
p60|d«  ii  tetwwovni  with  the  fate  of  all  people 
As  no  nation  oan  exist  half  ikf*  and  half  fkM^  w  ^ 

world  cannot  exist  half  Christian  and  half  pagan.  Tha 
CJhmUMity  of  one  part  must  hold  itself  in  trust  to 
tnuOcm  the  paj;anism  of  the  other  part;  and  the 
paganism  of  one  part  k>wen  tha  tena  of  the  other. 
The  kingdom  of  God  cannot  fully  ooma  in  any  aatim 
till  it  comes  in  all  nations.   Not  one  square  yard  of  tht 
^        Christianized  tiU  the  whole 
••rfli  is  GMtiaiL  There  are  no  Chinese  walls  high 
enough  to  shut  in  one  nation  and  toslmeOTitall  fantei 
influences.   To  purify  and  saya  the  life  of  Britain  or 
America  it  is  necessary  to  save  and  purify  the  life  of 
Hongkong  and  Constantinopla   In  the  most  real  sense 
tha  ladMnptkm  and  psrftotkmof  oaa  man  implies  and 
necessitates  the  redemption  and  perfaotkm  of  tha  wiioia 
social  order.   In  and  through  the  redemption  and  per- 
fection of  human  society  the  redemption  and  progress 
of  the  one  man  is  realized  and  fulfiUed.    T&e  proNmn 
of  salvation  to^  it  iktpnUUn  tftoekH  mOwitiom, 

The  lines  of  inquiry,  as  any  ooa  oan  see,  all  ooBT«m 
at  one  point  and  lead  to  the  one  conclusion.  The  great 
problems  before  men  to^iay  are  social  problems,  and 
being  sodi  they  reqnhn  a  social  solution.  Crime,  pov- 
er^,  misery,  faaure,-sonia  of  tiia  aodal  pioUsms  of 
this  time— all  have  sr  ia  causes,  and  hence  they  can 
be  cured,  if  they  are  cured  at  all,  not  by  individual  ef- 
fart^ooa  but  by  colleotive  action.  Social  conditions 
detenninaahmidred  things  in  hnmaa  Kres,  both  be- 
fora  and  after  converskm ;  and  social  oonditjons  by  ^ha 
very  nature  of  the  case  cannot  be  changed  by  individ- 
oal  effort  alone.  The  sodal  j^foUem  itself —tha  prob- 


6S 


THE  SOCIAL  TA8K  OF  CHlUTIAaVr 


lem  how  men  are  to  ^ttgethn  in^B^^mipmrn 

and  share  in  the  common  inheritaaoe  on  term*  of 
^  problem  how  to  remove  the  aocial  and 
•ommib  .bantepi  that  are  upon  oyuij  and  to  rive 
themafair  ttart  in  life,  the  pntltei  l^rto  equSixe 
opportunity  and  thus  enable  eaoh  m»  to  «H«t  Mi 
oapabiUties,  the  problem  how  t.   lae  the  re- 
•owoai  <rf  society  in  ia-omoLing  the  welfarv-  of  the  peo- 
pto  and  of  Wnging  the  disinherited  into  the  family 
circle  and  giving  then  a  tme  Ubt^tmBB  im       k  a 
•jooial  problem  and  can  be  =^lved  only  by  ^jcial  action. 
The  work  of  phihmthropy  has  a  social  a.pect  and  it  re- 
qma  aodal  aotton.  Christisii  charity  we  all  admit  is 
rmry  hmami,  tha  cimrity  tel  «..di  the  hungry, 
nnrses  the  sick,  visits  the  priMoer aadlttto the ftta • 
but  charity  alone,  the  charity  that  deals  with  rm^ 
and  never  cures  causes,  can  never  achieve  the  8a^'ation 
«  Mtkty  and  penMoenUy  benefit  sankind.  Social 
love,  the  love  that  goes  back  to  eaoMi,  tkat  kelps  men 
to  help  themselves,  that  deals  with  the  causea  ttd  eon- 
ditions  of  crime  and  poverty  and  misery,  that  seeks  to 
wijove  bad  causes  and  to  set  good  causes  to  work,  that 
■Mto  to  imdmtaiid  the  mighty  factan  of  heredity  and 
environment  and  enlists  them  in  tlw  wwk  ef  man's  n. 
demptioa,— this  social  love  and  this  alone  can  achieve 
the  permanent  progress  of  the  race  and  cure  the  ills  of 
9ttmf.  Theworic  of  dty  saving  to^y  is  a  iodal 
problem  and  as  Kock  it  ncpsbm  social  aetiea. 

And  last  of  aU,  the  work  of  men  in  behalf  of 
redemption  must  be  social  no  less  than  individual  in  ^ 
ainj  and  method.   Christian  effwt  to^ay  ir  ist  beso- 
^  III  I  n^m  ^^"^ ;  it  must  seek  to  turn  men  w  t^) 


68 


up  the^jB  aad  it  must  ramova  the 

men  from  sin,  er  *  it  most  main  etnlght  patlwlbr 
men's  feet;  it  must  seek  to  make  men  like  Oliifat  Md 
it  must  seek  to  build  a  ^  al  order  in  which  one  can 
psifl^  the  TktM  of  'hris'ianit^    a  ghoit  it  must 

create  a  eodid  op4«  thrt  Aafl        far  th«  itrength, 
the  df  r '     tent,  i?  ^  pw>terifc^  th«  pttftelioB,  of  aO 
tsmem    .     Thus  hew       prr'  -m  sums iteelf up 
«the  one  i-  yblem  .lOw  to     jal'    men,  how  to  asao- 
******  wfc  amt  afi       set  hem  upon 

th^ir  f-f^t  mtd  enable  m mabk.^  tber  lbofeiiig>to 
soci  -ty  u  t/  use  ^e  resources  of  society  %  be- 
flfi  1*1^.^^  '^P^^        ^  a      »nd  frarttnal 

MM  <ay  a&   icfc  «ter,howtom»keapeffeotaiaii 


SrtM•.^:  "Tb•^   -1.^  aim." 

•  "  Th«  '  on  of  ih»  UMi,''  iif  JmH^si  Jberatf  ^ 

Jte  aiMsifciiKtctMi^.M 


in 


THE  SOCIAL  KATUBE  OF  GHBrailAinTT 

THE  ]»ooeiM8  of  .history  are  setting  before  the 
men  of  t»day  some  prohlamg  which  they 
can  neither  ev^ade  nor  deny.   And  the  provi- 
denoes  of  God  are  summoning  the  men  of  this  time  to 
a  great  task  which  they  must  accept  and  fulfill  in  all  its 
taigth  and  braidth.  The  natare  ol  these  processes  is 
suggested  in  what  has  been  said  in  the  preceding 
chapter  concerning  the  problems  and  conditiooa  of 
society.   The  character  of  this  task  is  made  very  plain 
in  what  fdlows  in  this  chapter  concerning  the  social 
natoxe  of  Chrirtiaiiity.   In  that  ehi^  we  saw  that 
several  lines  of  inquiry  converge  at  the  same  pdst  and 
lead  to  the  same  conclusion.   In  this  chapter  we  may 
Me  that  several  other  lines  of  inqmry  convex^  at  the 
nme  point  and  indicate  t&e  eapnmio  duty. 

In  this  chapter  we  are  concerned  with  those  Unas  of 
providence  which  are  found  running  through  the  life 
of  the  world.  That  is,  we  are  concerned  with  that 
purpose  of  God  which  is  interpreted  in  the  Chiistiaa 
wvalaticm  and  disclosed  in  the  nature  of  maa^ 

I.  The  Einodom  of  God  on  Earth 
1.  One  of  the  most  marked  characteristics  of  this 
time  is  a  new  interest  in  the  kingdom  of  God  and  a 
new  conception  of  its  meaning.  In  fact  so  Intsoae  k 
this  interest  in  the  idea  of  the  kingdom  that  it  may  be 
called  the  mLStm  thought  of  oar  time.  And  so  mw 

U 


TBS  SOCIAL  HATUBB  OF  CHBISnAHnT  96 

•aJ  ligiiifiouit  h  thu  oonoeptioii  of  the  kingdom  that  it 
is  little  else  than  a  new  mtlation  from  hrnvmL  For 
nineteen  hundred  years  and  more  men  have  talked  at 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  from  miUioiia  ol  hMrti  then 
has  gone  up  the  unceasing  prajer : 

Onr  Father  who  art  in  heavM : 

Hallowed  be  Thy  name^ 

Thy  kingdom  eome, 

Thy  will  be  done, 
On  earth  even  as  in  heaven. 

For  sixty  generations  and  more  men  have  aoo^t  tiie 
kingdom  of  God  and  have  construed  duty  in  terms  of 
its  life.  But  ?is  we  survey  these  ages  of  Christian  his- 
tofy  and  watofa  the  efforts  of  men  to  extend  the  king- 
dom  w»  find  that  tlieir  oonoeptioni  of  tUi  kingdom 
have  run  the  whole  gamut  of  possible  variety.   In  fact, 
as  we  study  these  diverse  conceptions  we  might  ahnost 
■appose  that  we  were  studying  the  different  conceptions 
of  m&mt  iiiigiaM  nOm  than  the  changing  concep- 
tions of  the  one  nUgkm.  And  we  find  alio  aiw«  study 
these  changing  conceptions  of  the  kingdom  that  mm*» 
ideals  of  life  and  duty  have  varied  greatly  from  gener- 
ation to  genemtfoB.  Indeed,  so  various  are  these  ideals 
that  life  and  dntj  hvn  meaat  ttaMk  eoiitndfetoiy 
things  from  time  to  time.   It  is  needless  her*  to  wm- 
sider  these  various  conceptions  in  detaU ;  but  none  the 
toss  against  the  background  of  these  past  conceptions 
wa  may  ^rkw  that  tntii  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
showing  unto  the  men  of  to^y. 

The  first  conception  of  the  khigdom,  tha  one  that 
prevailed  in  the  early  Church,  viewed  the  kingdom  of 
God  M  the  Hflisianic  kingdom,  to  be  estahUshed  by  the 


66        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITr 

returning  Christ.   Here  the  kmgdoai  eoanoted  a  Tit. 

ible  Jewish  kingdom  with  Jerusalem  as  its  capital  city ; 
in  this  city  the  Christ  was  to  reign  as  an  earthly  king* 
giving  law  to  the  nations  and  permitting  them  to  share 
ill  the  blenings  of  God.  This  oonoeption,  it  may  be 
said,  was  the  one  that  filled  the  minds  and  heuts  of 
the  people  around  the  Christ ;  and  it  was  also  the  con- 
oention  that  dominated  the  minds  of  Christian  believers 
fOT  two  generations  after  Christ's  ascension.   In  course 
of  tune,  by  the  logic  of  events,  tUs  oonoeption  fell  into 
the  background  and  another  conception  came  into  the 
^ground.   Now  the  conception  of  the  kingdom  of 
Gal  becomes  synonymous  with  the  Church  of  Christ, 
and  the  maldng  of  the  Ghurdi  meant  the  making  of 
the  kingdom.   This  interpretation  slowly  devekfwd  in 
the  primitive  Church,  but  it  first  received  definite  state- 
ment  in  Augustine's  «  De  Civitate  Dei."  It  is  true  that 
the  Chnroh  and  the  kingdom  were  never  wholly  equiva- 
lent and  interchangeable  tenns;  hat  none  the  hm  they 
were  practically  synonymous  and  the  one  unplied  the 
^er.   This  great  conception  became  historic  in  the 
Boman  Catholic  Church,  though  it  is  not  by  any  means 
Hmited  to  this  division  of  Ohristend<Hn.  For  fifteen 
hundred  years  the  mighty  personality  <rf  Angntbe  has 
dominated  the  thought  of  Western  Cbristendooi  and 
has  krgely  determined  the  type  of  theology,  and  heaoe 
this  oonoeption  has  held  such  a  commanding  place. 

2.  In  all  ages  of  the  Ohoroh  there  have  been  many 
behevers  who  have  gone  to  the  other  extreme  and  have 
xnamtained  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nothing  else 
than  the  life  of  God  within  the  soul  of  man.  This  con- 
o^tfcn  is  based  krgely  upon  the  Fourth  Gospel  in 
wUoh  the  term  Eternal  Life  k  the  dcmiBaat  oui  and 


THl  SOCIAL  HATDRE  OP  CHRISTIANITY  67 

Sfr*  ^^."^  ^q'^^ent  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Thki  ooMeptkm  has  appeared  in  aU  ages,  but  itisac 

otntoated  by  two  ^rp«  of  Chrirtian  thought.  Oneis 
seen  in  the  monastic  ideal  whiA  ium  played  raeli  aa 
important  r61e  in  the  development  of  religious  lifa 
TOie  other  type  is  seen  in  that  school  of  Protestant 
tbecdogy  that  has  emphasized  the  doctrine  of  justiflca- 
tkmby&ith.  To  seek  th«  ldiigdom<rf  God  k  to  seek 
an  mner  spiritual  life;  for  does  not  Cbxkk  mw-  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  ?  And  once  mwi  others 
have  thought  of  the  kingdom  of  God  as  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  another  worid,  to  be  entered  by  the  soul  at 
death  and  to  be  enjoyed  in  eternity.  This  oonoeptkm 
early  appeared  in  the  Church  and  it  has  had  ^ae^^ 
voca,te8  in  aU  ages.   In  fact,  this  is  the  prevailing  con- 
ception  in  the  minds  of  the  rank  and  file  of  Christian 
people  U>4b,j;  and  tUi  ig  tfie  oMrf  conception  that 
finds  expression  in  much  current  hynmoiagT  and  d»fo^ 
toonal  hterature.   The  citizenship  of  thecKistian  is  in 
heaven;  here  he  has  no  continuing  city ;  here  he  is  as 
»wayM»g        that  tarns  aside  to  tarry  for  a  night 
Which  of  these  conception,  mo.1  nearly  ipproxZte. 
the  truth  we  need  not  here  inquire.   That  no  OM  of 
these  conceptions  fully  satiifi«  the  thmwbt  of 
WKWwiing  very  evident.  """^ 

vJ:  ^.^^*»«*»»fi^tof  God,as  we 
believe,  IS  leading  men  fato  n  n^T-rf  huPconcT 

taon  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  has  been  gwnted  i3» 
the  mer  t  to^iay  to  discover,  or  rather  to  rediscover. 
tt»  ^  v  ^  meaning  of  this  great  Christian  ideal,  the 
m-te.  ionght  of  Jen.*  teaehing  and  the  inspiring 
impulse  of  His  life,  to  enter  intotta IwMn ndieolS 
"MMunfe  to  bring  feottfehtto^iyrtfff^^ai,,^ 


68        THB  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIAHITT 


it  tbe  heiitage  of  the  peojrfa  Today  it  n  becoming 
plain  that  no  one  of  these  paik  etmceptions  hy  itieif 
contains  all  of  the  truth.  Nay  more,  it  is  boooming 
BO  less  plain  that  not  all  of  them  combined  convey  tha 
trathMitisinOhriit.  EMhoonoeptkmistmeenoii^ 
so  far  as  it  goes ;  the  Messianic  kingdom  is  a  fact ;  the 
Church  of  Christ  is  a  reality ;  the  spiritual  life  is  a 
blessed  experience ;  life  in  heaven  when  time  shall  be 
BO  more  is  a  glorious  hope.  But  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  more  than  any  one  of  these  by  itself,  m  man  than 
all  of  them  combined ;  it  includes  elements  found  in 
these  partial  conceptions,  but  it  goes  beyond  them  all 
and  views  them  as  parts  of  a  whole  and  as  means  to  an 
end.  It  is  Bofc  pooiUe  to  define  and  describe  in  detaU 
this  great  new  ooooqttion  of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  for 
at  best  we  are  only  on  the  threshold  of  this  great  truth 
as  it  is  in  Christ ;  and  it  is  too  early  in  the  day  for  any 
one  to  comprehend  the  fall-orbed  trutk 

But  it  has  become  vety  plain  tliafc  the  Idng^Mn  of 
Ood  is  a  great  and  comprehensive  ideal  It  is  a 
personal  good,  and  it  is  a  social  state.  It  is  a  good  in 
time  and  it  is  no  loss  a  good  in  eternity.  It  is  a  ani- 
mal ftwt,  the  reign  of  Ood  throughout  His  wide 
oeaticm,  and  it  is  the  realiatkm  under  the  eraiditiou  of 
time  and  space  of  the  eternal  purpose  of  God.  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  the  reign  of  God  in  men,  and  over 
BMB  and  through  men.  It  comprehends  the  whole  life 
ol  man  and  niakat  prodikm  for  all  his  needs.  It  is  a 
society  of  men  who  do  God's  will  and  fulfill  His  right- 
eousness. It  includes  the  whole  being  and  destiny  of 
man  and  bmds  heaven  and  earth,  time  and  eternity, 
God  and  man  together  in  a  solidarity  of  life  and  blessed- 
a«a  Tlw  kingdam  of  God  is  a  great  social  i^BtlMiii 


THl  SOCIAL  KATDBE  OF  CHBI8TIANITT 


69 


Which  inolades  the  whole  life  of  man,  spiritual,  moral, 
mmtMl  and  physical ;  its  field  of  manifestaUon  is  man's 
personal,  family,  mnM,  pc^Uoal  and  indnrtrial  reUr 
tions ;  it  finds  its  consummation  so  far  as  this  world  k 
oonoeriied  in  a  righteous  and  brotherly  society  on  earth  • 
to  fliw  it  is  a  good  for  the  whole  man  in  this  world  and 
for  eveiy  world.  Th«  kingdom  of  Gtod  is  the  mowinir 
perfection  of  the  ooUectfTe  m  of  bnmaiiity;  h  k  £ 
redemption  of  man's  mental  and  moral  and  spiritual 
1^ ;  It  means  a  perfect  man  in  a  perfect  society.  The 
ImgdaB  of  God  may  mean  much  more  than  a  human 
wdety  on  ittth,  Imfc  it  ii  certMn  that  it 

II  Thi  Cheistiaw  GoNoxPTioir  of  the 
KnrGDOM 

Tbt  Idagdom  of  God  we  have  geea  may  mean  noA 

more  than  a  human  society  on  earth,  but  it  is 


that  it  never  can  mean  anything  less.   For  this  reason 
iSr  ^<»°<»P^oMof  the  kingdom  which  limit  it  to 
the  perroorinakeiteqiiiTateittotheChurohfaU  to 
below  the  conception  of  Christ  The  popoae  of  God 
as  defined  in  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  oontemplates 
noUung  lew and  lower  than  the  creation  amongmen  of 
ft  r^jbfeeoat  aad  fraternal  and  Christian  society.  For 
this  reaaon  aU  those  programi  of  OkriitiBnity  whioh 
contemplate  anything  less  than  the  maUwof  aaew 
Md  Christian  social  order  faU  below  the  program  of  tiM 
tongdom.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to  discuss  in  detail 
the  progtam  of  tiie  kiiig«1om,  but  one  or  two  elementa 
or  tnat  program  may  be  noted. 

1.  The  Son  of  Man,  in  His  own  simple  and  yet 
majestic  words,  has  not  come  to  deetroy  but  to  fattlL 


To        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 


He  has  not  oome  to  condemn  the  world  as  evil  and  to 
set  aside  the  order  of  things,  but  to  reaffirm  and  fulfill 
the  eternal  purpose  of  God.  He  has  oome  to  interpret 
the  purpose  of  God  and  to  fulfill  tlw  redempfckm  of  the 
world,  and  to  make  the  kingdom  of  Qod  a  uniy<)rsal 
and  present  reality.  In  His  life  and  in  His  teaching 
certain  things  become  very  plain,  and  these  constitute 
nhat  we  may  call  the  program  of  the  kingdom.  The 
program  implies :  The  saving  of  the  person  by  makiBg 
him  Christlike ;  it  implies  the  proclamation  of  the  Gtood 
News  to  every  creature ;  it  demands  for  every  human 
being  the  conditions  of  a  pure,  strong,  full  and  happy 
life;  itramsitielf  npintheereationof  ax^hteoaand 
fraternal  human  society,  in  which  God  is  known  as 
Father  and  men  are  known  as  brothers,  a  society  with 
justice  as  its  foundation  and  love  as  its  law,  a  s<.  .ety 
in  whidi  erery  life  has  a  true  inheritance  and  where  aU 
share  in  the  Fathsr'i  boimtiei. 

According  to  the  Son  of  Man  it  is  the  Father's  pur- 
pose to  establish  in  the  earth  a  human  society  in  which 
God's  name  is  hallowed,  God's  kingdom  is  oom^  and 
God's  will  is  done,  a  sodety  where  aU  have  daily 
bread,  where  men  remove  the  causes  of  temptation 
from  their  brothers'  way  and  destroy  the  things  that 
are  evil  and  defiling.  According  to  the  first  interpre- 
ten  of  Ohrist  the  purpose  of  Gk>d  contemplates  the 
creation  in  the  earth  of  a  hmaanity  that  hn  beoome 
the  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit.  The  Apostle 
Paul  never  thinks  of  salvation  as  a  purely  individual 
gift  to  be  enjoyed  in  isolation,  but  always  in  terms  of 
human  rehttkmi  and  iodal  life.  According  to  the 
Apocelypse  the  purpose  of  Gk>d  enlmiiuilM  hi  tiM  eea- 
oipfeioB  €i  a  Hoiiy  City  that  haioooM  down  tan  God 


THE  SOCIAL  HATUBB  OF  CaUSTUXITY  71 


•nd  is  realizfld  tBK»ig  men.  Tk»  Apooalypee  it  it 
evident  belongs  primarily  to  the  present  world  and  is  a 
ttatesman's  vision  of  the  divine  order  of  homaa  society. 
Aooording  to  the  N«w  Tiitement  writers  the  work  of 
Ohriit  booostmed  is  tMi«lMeialiiteaBdB0T«riii 
tfltou  of  individual  isoiation.  One  may  not  agree  with 
Bitschl  in  all  of  his  positions,  but  he  has  correctly 
interpreted  the  essenae  of  Christianity  when  he  declares 
thai  it  is  primarily  wiii,  aad  that  «h«  jnaft  troths  of 
religion  cannot  be  understood  when  applied  hi  isolaticm 
to  the  individual  subject,  bat  only  when  explained  in 
relation  to  the  subject  an  a  member  of  a  community  of 
believers.'  The  sodal,  the  collective,  the  human  ideal 
is  pgewiod  throi^^M  Ike  ^hm  TMmmbI  uAlUa 
compels  us  to  thmk  of  the  ideal  condition  as  life  m  a 
divine,  righteous,  human  society.  The  salvation  which 
Christ  brings  and  earth  expects  "  is  not  finished  when 
a  naa  is  fargiTen  or  has  obtain«l  peace  with  Qod;  it 
ia  oompleted  only  when  Ctoirtianfttn aft  thatim^ 
humanity  has  been  built  up  in  all  its  parts  and  regn* 
lated  in  all  its  relations  by  the  ideal  of  love  and  s(n^ 
ship  that  has  lived  from  etomity  in  the  bosom  of  Qod."  ' 

a.  Thus  tha  mm  wbo  are  lelhmhig  the  prograa  ol 
Christ  and  are  seeking  the  li  iiigiom  of  €M€iMHiB> 
ing  to  make  the  Good  News  known  to  every  oreatnre ; 
they  are  seeking  to  save  vaea.  from  sin  and  to  make 
them  like  Christ ;  they  are  seeking  to  setmre  for  all 
BMB  tha  eonditioBs  ef  •  oIm,  werthj,  tewaii  wmk 
moral  life;  they  are  seeking  to  build  on  the  earths 
city  after  the  pattern  of  the  Divine  City.  Thus  also 
the  work  of  winning  men  unto  Christ  and  tiaiaii^ 

'"  ^-nmmitlin  ■nii  ftinnnniHatinn,"  nn|;>ii  L 


72        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHBISTIANITT 


them  in  character,  the  work  of  building  churches  and 
sending  out  missionaries,  the  work  of  taking  up  Rtum- 
Uing-Uodn  and  making  straight  paths  for  men's  feet, 
are  aU  parti  of  a  wboto  and  mmm  to  aa  cad,  and  that 
end  is  nothing  less  than  the  bufidlBg  in  tha  aarth  of 
a  dlTine-hnman  aodety. 

UL  The  Ideal  of  the  Kingdom  aitd  tbm 

QuALiTT  OF  Its  Life 

The  kingdom  of  God  in  the  Christian  conception  of 
tliingi  ii  a  great  social,  collective,  human  ideal  that  ia 
aa  aU  iaokmtn  aa  tba  reigii  of  God  and  aa  oompvdmi* 
sive  as  the  nature  of  nao.  In  this  kingdom  is  gath* 
ered  up  the  whole  purpose  of  God  in  the  world,  and  in 
this  kingdom  is  realized  the  highest  welfare  of  man. 
Ib  thla  kingdom  is  oontemplated  not  alone  the  salva- 
tkm  and  porfaotkm  of  the  indiWdnal,  hot  tlio  ledsnp. 
tion  and  tomsformation  of  the  institutions  and  relationa 
of  his  life,  the  family,  the  Church  and  the  state ;  in 
brief  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  implies  a  perfect  man 
in  a  perfaofc  aooietjr.  The  lifa  of  the  kingdom  by  ita 
vmj  aiionoe  is  an  active,  aggressive,  missionaiy  lif^ 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  leaven  which  a  woman 
took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal  till  the  whole 
waa  leaTeaad— and  as  such  it  is  ever  se  !dng  to  per^ 
Bflate  the  worid  and  to  tnuulona  all  tUnga  ila 
likeness.  This  is  not  all,  but  tUi  life  of  the  Mtig^ffn 
by  its  very  nature  is  a  creative,  organic,  organific  power 
— it  is  no  vague  and  indefinite  something  or  nothing,— 
but  a  THal  and  vttaliziug  potency — ^that  ever  seeks  uid 
finds  expression  In  mppeoygie^  forma,  a  life  that  mm 
mOu  to  onate  tnxnd  itaeif  a  bo^jr  to  ita  faidwiil^ 


THB  SOCIAL  HATUU  Of  OBBttlUVm  U 

and  exprenion.  "The  WA^**  Mid  Jdm  Wcdej, 
**  knows  nothing  of  a  solitary  religion." 

Combining  these  two  things  this  is  what  we  find :  In 
the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  are  found  certain  great,  f orm- 
•tbe,  cmMxOn,  arabileotoBie  priiioipl«  which  are 
at  once  the  creative  power,  the  legnktiTe  Imtk  tad  the 
determining  ideal  of  a  human  society.   In  the  life  of 
the  kingdom  is  found  an  aggressive,  all-permeating, 
erw-otgniMng  potency  that  seeks  to  touch  and  quicken 
and  transform  evwyUdng  into  te  own  Wumtm.  Thus 
in  the  inherent  quality  of  life  to  conform  to  its  type  we 
have  the  prophecy  of  the  future  of  mankind ;  in  the  or- 
ganic  and  social  ideal  of  the  kingdom  we  have  the 
pvoadM  and  potency  of  a&  organized  society  oa  earth 
in  which  the  life  of  the  khigdamkfiilljNtlbtd.  Tim 
life  of  the  kingdom  must  touch  and  penetrate  and  per* 
meate  all  realms  and  relations  of  life ;  the  life  of  the 
kingdom  because  it  is  life  ever  seeks  to  conform  to  its 
typeaad  to  eceite  eraoBd  itnif  henMndoot  tad  appro, 
priate  forma.  Thus  the  lif e  of  the  kfaigdoai  aft  w«tk  fa 
the  lives  and  institutions  of  men  ever  seeks  to  trans- 
form these  lives  and  institutions  into  its  likeness  and  to 
eoafonBtei  to  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom.  Thelifeof 
H-Tr*nn  hia  ■■  ftu  iphwro  nf  iieiilftiiHiliji  thu  ml 
ow  relations  and  institutions  of  man's  life,  the  fiunily, 
Chnroh  and  the  state,  for  neither  the  family  alone 
our  the  Chnroh  alone— in  fact  not  the  family  and  the 
Cftneii  togefihsr  em  eorer  the  whole  nagjn  of  life 
mA  iadude  all  of  man's  interests.       ^  aaftm  e( 
the  case,  therefore,  the  life  of  the  kingdom  must  oiwte 
iooial  and  politioal  institutions  as  well  and  must  mani- 
fMt  iti  quality  through  them.  The  life  of  the  king- 
4um  mrt  nhlior  Mffmeete       Kiawftii  ■..        w  u 


U       THS  80CUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUVITY 


penn«ite  it  moit  tnuufOTm— «U  life  in  all  of  its  rel*. 
tiona  whethor  personal,  eoolesiaatioal,  political  and  to- 
oial;  or  the  life  of  the  kingdom  must  be  limited  in  its 
Mopt  aad  tiBcliided  Item  lome  mlmi  of  man*i  lif e— 
wUdi  ia  nothing  else  than  Mokl  atliflini  Mid  fa  tlieabw> 
donment  of  all  real  faith  in  the  kingdom  of  Qod.  The 
ideal  of  the  kingdom  is  a  social  ideal.  The  life  of  the 
kingdom  is  an  all-permeating  and  all-transforming  life, 
lift  hy  ikt  iwiwitiil  quality  ertr  seaki  to  ooaform  to  its 
type.  Chritiiwn  men  to  be  true  to  their  faith  and  their 
ideal  muet  ther^ore  build  a  Christian  eodety.  This  is 
a  truth  strangely  overlooked  by  many  men  who  are 
most  aanMit  in  seeking  the  redemption  of  the  world. 
And  henoe  it  Iim  oone  alxiat  that  tlMse  men  not  un- 
derstanding their  real  work  in  the  world,  and  not  ex- 
pecting the  Ghristianization  of  society  through  any 
agencies  now  at  work,  have  made  few  efforts  to  realize 
Hm  kingdom  in  the  wider  pcovinees  of  life. 

rv.  The  Perfect  Man  in  the  Perfect  Societt 
The  nature  of  this  task,  finally,  is  revealed  in  the 
very  nature  of  Chidstianity  and  the  very  necessities  of 
lifs  ilsell  There  aie  two  wmyi  of  looking  at  thb 
question  of  man's  salvation  and  perfbetion,  tatt  thej 
both  Imd  to  the  same  conclusion. 

1.  The  spiritual  life  is  not  an  isolated  something 
wiistiing  by  itsdf  with  no  dependence  upon  any  other 
liufeors,but  it  is  rather  an  iategral  part  of  life^  for  tho 
present  at  least  inextricably  bound  up  with  all  we 
ooont  most  real  It  is  impossible  to  isolate  the  spiritual 
Mfe  and  consider  it  by  itself ;  all  life  is  bound  up  to* 
gitiwr,  and  no  part  of  ft  can  ever  be  known  apart  hon 
teiMa^  liMqiiritnnl^eanntver  bepMMUiad 


THB  SOCIAL  VATUBB  Of 


viAmr  f$ 


to  w  M  MMMthing  lingto  and  iMbted.  **Fcr  thut 

which  is  an  abstract,  single,  and  isol^ed  thiBi^  that 
which  is  fundamentallj  out  of  relation  with  all  else,  be> 
oomes  thereby  a  cipher,  non-existent  and  without 
■Mtniag.  Wliat  reality  could  it  have?"*  Three 
things  are  inTohwd  in  thfeiHkioliaMaaimportaiit  H 
follows  that  what  we  call  f^Uffiom  is  ''not  something 
apart  from  Ufa,  but  in  the  very  midst  of  it,  knit  up 
with  the  cell  and  with  sex,  with  all  human  relations 
■ad  employments,  and  tendtaciet  and  striTings,— inez- 
Moabfy  involved  in  alL  Aad  wa  iliaa  look  lor  ito 
glory  not  in  a  majestic  isolation,  but  rathw  kt  Hi  dbil> 
ity  to  permeate  and  dominate  all  life."' 

It  follows  also  that  what  we  call  oomv&rtion  is  not 
•a  iMlatod  Ibot  or  «»pori«noe  to  be  viewod  hjtetl^ 
but  is  part  and  parcel  of  life  itself  inextricably  knil  mp 
with  the  sum  of  life's  experience.  In  the  significant 
words  of  IneUgpend&iUf  commenting  upon  the  strik- 
ing vtteraaee  of  tbt  votsnui  missionary,  Timothy  Riob- 
ards:  "The  poiitf  e<  Dr.  BUtaM  iigiinoiii  ii  tt: 
That  if  endeavours  after  oonverskm  are  meant  merefy 
to  cover  the  strivings  to  renew  men's  hearts  devotion- 
ally  without  striving  to  improve  mea  materially,  intel- 
lo^aaUf  aad  aatkmally,  H  woidd  ooMi  tlMi  oaly  a  small 
part  of  the  kingdom  of  God  makes  headway.  ItfaafiMt 
that  'conversion  in  regard  to  material,  inteUeotnal, 
soda],  national,  and  international  as  well  as  devotional 
a^eoti  b  a  oomversiim  towards  the  establishment  of  the 
Ungdan  of  God  on  earth.****  Ai^  imnwiiun  that  ii 
nal  iavoivei  Oo  tanfa^of  Ite  whoio  naa,  mA  af. 


bj  Sing,  JM.,  p.  30. 


76       THIS  SOCIAL  TAAK  OW  CBBI8TUJIITT 

f  eoti  all  of  hii  reh^knt ;  jntt  lo  f ar  aa  tkM 

are  fulfilled  his  conversion  is  a  realitj. 

2.   It  folio  kvs,  farther,  that  what  we  call  talvatton 
k  Bot  a  partial  iMst  or  ttxparianoe,  affecting  only  a  Mg- 
OMBtof  man's  being,  bat  ft  iDdndii  thi  Tirtwnptfcui 
of  the  whole  life  and  is  wrooght  out  in  the  total  ex- 
perience of  man.  Jesus  Christ  came  to  save  man,  the 
whole  man ;  not  to  save  a  part  of  the  mnw^  but  to 
mm  the  whoto  maa  fai  aU  hk  powan  mA  relatkna. 
Man  aa  w  know  him  is  a  complex  being,  of  body, 
mind  and  spirit,  and  the  whole  man  indndes  all  of 
these  aspects.   For  the  present  at  least  the  spiritual 
Itfe  hM  bodily  ooaditions,  and  it  cannot  ignore  those 
owxditions  withovt  fateful  enw.  And  fnr  thn  pi  wsiit 
at  least  the  progress  of  the  spiritual  life  is  oonditioMd 
apon  the  condition  of  its  bodily  basis.'   For  the  pres- 
ent also  so  long  aa  man  is  in  the  body,  any  salvati<» 
to  be  real  most  mean  tlw  Mltatkn  of  the  whole  man 
Md  most  cover  the  whole  nu^  of  hk  beiag.  Tku, 
in  the  process  of  man's  conversion  and  salvation  it 
just  as  necessary  that  his  body  and  mind  be  won  and 
laved  aa  that  his  spirit  be  touched  and  renewed ;  and 
it  ii  a  lUae  qxiritoality  whkdk  would  ignoie  mtB^b 
mental  and  physical  life  in  the  interests  of  wtwt  ii 
called  his  spiritual  perfection.   It  is  just  as  necessary 
that  man's  physical,  material,  social,  industrial  and 
politioal  life  be  ooaverted  and  transformed  as  that  his 
spiritoal  life  be  toaohed  and  quidcMied.   la  fiwt,  in 
the  long  run,  the  reality  and  value  of  his  spiritual  con- 
version as  it  is  called  will  be  measured  by  ito  effects 
upon  his  wha^  intellectual  and  bodily  Ufe.   And  In 
fMt  aa  we  have  seen  hia  spiritoal  life  wiQ  be  kaowa 

*Kiag^  "BrtiaMlUTli^»|ip.4T,Hi 


•Bi  Ml  Ml  MM  Iwhtrf  plMinmwnii,  bat  m  tiM 
tone  and  haimonj  of  bis  whole  complex  being. 

In  the  Moond  place,  the  perfection  of  the  penon 
impliea  and  inTolvee  the  perfecti<»i  of  man  in  all  the 
filtaoM  of  hk  Uixig,  The  program  of  the  kingdom 
impUittlMBMkiiigof  good  indlTiilM]%balitdMMBda 
much  more  than  thi^.  For  the  kingdom  of  God,  it 
cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized,  is  a  kingdom  and 
a  Mwietjr ;  it  is  not  an  anarchy  of  good  individuals, 
but  ft  MkmMp  «f  brothniL  By  ita  ewentiat  Mtu* 
it  implies  a  company  ci  people  associated  tfytlM  in 
righteom  wd  loving  relations,  with  each  taking  thon^t 
for  the  others  and  all  cooperating  towards  a  common 
Md.  fit  Son  of  Man,  it  is  evident  to  every  reader 
of  the  Ckupoli,  Mvtr  ealkd  MjMMtoaliliof  iadi. 
vldual  isolation,  bat  always  to  life  in  a  brotherhood 
and  to  fellowship  in  a  society.  IHot  only  so,  Imt  in 
all  i^is  teaching  He  oonsid«^r 'm>.  nuw  as  a  member  of 
A  loefil  faik>widiip  aad  He  pron  a»c54  him  good  in 
so  far  M  ht  fittti  iaio  tbk  b^V.vaM^  aad  lived 
for  the  common  welfare.  To  seei:  to  Mve  cmeself 
by  oneself  and  for  oneself  was  to  lose  (meself ;  to  liv* 
for  all  and  to  lose.<meself  in  the  life  of  all  is  tosave 
ommU  SiMe  this  is  so  Ike  arcing  of  good  faidivid» 
als  CM  Mver  fulfill  the  whole  program  of  thekingt 
dom ;  in  fact  the  maldiig  of  the  ki'<  ^om  is  necesbary 
in  <»der  that  the  person  may  ouxus  his  own  pei^ 
intkn. 

8.  ThepocCwtkNiof  tiwpMmiiiMiperfMioBk 

and  through  the  relations  <rf  his  being.  Man  is  bj 
nature  a  social  being.  Life  is  a  matter  of  r*\ation8. 
Bight  life  is  life  in  right  relations.   One  term  of  a 


78        THE  SOCUL  TASK  OP  CHBI8TIANITT 

follows  88  a  matter  of  oonrse  ?  The  perfection  of  the 
p«non  is  his  perfection  in  and  through  the  relations  of 
Ui  being;  and  tlie  perfbetion  of  the  relations  of  man's 
being  is  a  necessary  condition  of  his  own  pmMtm. 
According  to  the  Apostle  Paul  society  is  the  body  and 
man  is  a  member  in  that  body.   The  time  wiU  never 
com*  when  one  man  shall  become  a  complete  body 
independflBt  and  sdf^dent;  erer  and  forever  he 
ahaU  be  a  member  in  a  body  and  a  part  of  the  whda. 
Thus  ever  and  forever  he  lives  in  and  through  the 
body,  and  the  condition  of  the  body  to  a  lai^  de- 
gree determiiMB  Us  own  oradition.  The  blessing  of 
one  is  tiie  welfare  of  aU  and  the  welfkie  of  aU  fa 
the  strengUi  of  ewh.   No  member  can  become  per- 
fect by  itself  alone  without  respect  to  the  rest  of  the 
body ;  bnt  through  the  health  of  the  body  in  all  its 
iMmbsn  the  one  member  fa  made  strong.   One  can- 
not have  a  strong  hand  in  a  weak  body ;  thestroog 
body  provides  the  conditions  for  a  strong  hand.  We 
may  grant  that  thu  fa  an  allegory  and  an  analogy  and 
that  it  moit  not  be  pushed  too  far;  but  after  all  it 
Mti  forth  <me  ol  the  most  vital  facts  of  Ufo.  Tbe 
person  fa  a  part  of  the  race;  the  race  Uvea  in  him  aad 
he  lives  in  the  race.   The  man  and  tiie  race  are  mu- 
toally  means  and  ends,  each  implying  Uie  otiier  and 
••oh  inflmBdag  the  other.   By  the  very  nature  of  the 
case  the  penon  cannot  be  made  folly  pvfoet  akwe; 
he  can  become  perfect  only  in  and  tiirough  the  society 
^  which  he  fa  a  part.   The  salvation  of  tiie  father  fa 
Us  salvation  tlooogh  the  life  of  hfa  family    The  sal- 
vation of  the  fafother  fa  hfa  salvatioD  through  the 
brotherhood.  uie 

The  goal  of  Ohrfatiaiuty  fa  twofold:  it  fa  » 


THE  SOCIAL  NATURE  OF  CHBISTIAinTT  79 


man  in  a  porf eot  society.  And  thflie  two  heUan,  tiw 

person  and  the  society,  cannot  be  separated  nor  can 
they  be  pitted  against  the  other;  they  move  on 
towards  their  fulfillment  together  and  the  perfection 
of  one  impUes  the  perfsotkm  of  the  other.  Society 
can  .be  lightened  and  perfected  in  and  through  tlM 
rightening  and  perfection  of  its  members;  for  no 
golden  society  can  be  made  out  of  leaden  men.  The 
person  is  redesnied  and  perfected  in  and  through  the 
redsmption  of  socie^ ;  tto  redemptioii  of  soeiety  k 
the  condition  of  the  redemption  of  man.  Hence  the 
response  which  man  makes  to  the  appeal  of  the  Gk)spel 
must  manifest  itself  in  and  through  the  medium  of  his 
social  bfa  Hence  also  the  attainment  of  righteous- 
ness by  the  person  is  measured  by  the  degree  of  tif^ 
ness  in  his  social  relations.  In  the  last  analysis  thii^ 
fore  these  two  ends  are  not  two  but  one. 

4.  Thns  the  perfection  of  man  implies  and  ^^lw^^f^n^g 
the  perfeotionof  allthehistitatioiMof  hislife.  Inriew 
of  what  has  been  said  it  is  evident  that  the  perfectioa 
of  man  implies  the  making  of  a  Christian  homa  As  a 
matter  of  fact  the  maJdng  of  the  kingdom  of  Qod  im- 
plies the  making  of  Ohxktiaa  homes,  and  the  making 
of  Christian  hosMs  implias  the  coining  of  the  M^g^fim 
But  life  cannot  be  completed  within  the  sheltered  pre- 
cincts of  the  home,  for  it  demands  the  action  and  v»> 
action  of  one  life  with  many  lives  in  all  relations. 

Ob  the  other  hand  the  home  eaa  nerer  be  so  widsBsd 
as  to  compass  all  human  relations  and  include  all  humiB 
duties.  The  making  of  a  Christian  Church  is  there- 
fore a  necessary  part  of  the  Christian  program,  and 
ia  Um  mort  real  sense  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  im- 
pliit  the  makh^  of  th»  OhrisliM  Ckmik.  Aad  ytl 


80        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHSISTIAKITr 


the  dmroh,  be  it  never  so  Christian,  can  never  become 
the  wh<d«  kingdom  of  Qo4  For  m  every  one  knows 
great  sections  of  life  lie  ontridA  the  booiklariea  oi  ^ 
Ghnroh,  and  the  Church  can  never  be  so  widened  as  to 
inolade  all  these  interests.  We  must  either  admit, 
thenfoK^  that  large  provinces  of  life  lie  beyond  the 
•oveveigBty  of  God  and  beyond  the  purpose  of  Christ; 
or  we  must  Lave  some  institution  through  whioh  men 
can  express  their  wider  fellowship  and  through  which 
they  can  cooperate  in  promoting  the  common  welfare. 
Thw  the  full  program  of  the  kingdom  includes  the 
state  no  less  than  the  funily  and  the  Canooh.  For  the 
state  is  one  of  the  natural  and  necessary  forms  in  which 
man's  social  life  expresses  itself ;  in  the  great  words  of 
Aristotle— words  whioh  all  subsequent  thinking  have 
oonflrmed— **Mui  fa  by  natiire  »  pialitioia  being,"  •  and 
the  state  exists  not  for  the  sake  of  life  only  but  for  tb« 
sake  of  good  life.»  The  state  no  less  than  the  fkmily 
and  the  Church  is  involved  in  the  nature  of  man ;  and 
hflOM  the  peif  eotioa  of  the  state  is  implied  in  the  pei^ 
fection  of  man.  la  flue  the  poffeetkm  of  maaimpUfli 
and  demands  the  perfection  of  all  the  relatioM  aai 
institutions  of  man's  life.   Salvation  is  not  the  extrica- 
tion of  the  soul  from  its  relations  and  the  annulling  of 
thoee  relatioiiB,  bat  hb  Mhratfen  in  and  through  those 
relations.   Perfection  is  not  the  denfal  of  1^  «n.^f- 
tions  and  the  isolation  of  the  soul  by  itself  akoe^  fa«t 
the  perfection  of  man  in  and  thrwi^  tbe  aeoMvy 
eodal  institutions  of  his  being. 

Summing  i^  thfa  aignment,  we  find  that  the  mUng 
of  the  UBgdom  <tf  God  ioqpiki  the  petlntftoa  of  all  tl» 

'  "  PolltlcB,"  Book  I,  Chapter  II. 
*iMi.,  Book  III.  OiiipltrlZ. 


THE  SOCIAL  NATURE  OF  CHBISTIANITT  81 

imtitutionj  of  man's  social  Ufa  "Wc  find  that  Cbrkd- 
tnity  to  be  true  to  itself  and  to  the  Jea  of  the  king- 
dom  must  create  a  social  order  that  shall  cover  the 
wMb  range  of  man^  Ufa  and  shall  include  all  the  re- 
lations of  his  being.  This  mflans  tkut  the  program  of 
the  kingdom  in  its  foUness  implies  the  ovation  of  a 
hnman  society  on  earth  in  which  the  person,  the  family, 
tte  Camrah  and  the  state  all  have  their  appropriate 
pliM  and  eoOpsnto  ••  parte  of  one  great  whole.  This 
■Mans  that  the  perfection  of  man  involTW  the  pvfeo* 
tion  of  society,  and  thus  «  The  whole  body  fitly  fraiiMd 
and  compact  together  through  that  which  every  joint 
snpplieth,  aoeoiding  to  the  working  iu  due  measure  of 
each  several  part,  makath  the  hinrnasM  of  tlM  body  unto 
the  building  up  of  itself  in  love."  * 

Aiid  now  the  truth  begins  to  break  upon  us  in  all  its 
Bui^ian  splendour;  now  we  begin  to  see  the  task  to 
wfckk  w  mn  lUrly  emmirftted.  In  oonsideting  the 
ptooesses  of  history  we  nw  that  iB  tk»  Kmi  of  inquiry 
converged  at  the  one  point  and  led  to  the  one  ooa* 
^  in  considering  the  purpose  of  God  as 
iwmM  in  the  conception  of  the  kingdom  ot  God 
we  M  Ikat  an  tbe  Mm  of  bqniiy  ewT«|e  at  om 
point  and  indicate  oaa  duty.  ^  ^ 

of  these  lines  of  inquiry,  the  proosaes  of  hfaloiy  i 
the  providenoes  of  God,  converge  at  one  and  the 
poiirt  Md  diMtaeeM  Mid  the  same  t«ili.   The  funda- 
mental concq^ioB  of  OMMiMilv  ii  Hk 
God,  a  divine-human  society  on  tiffh. 
of  to-day  are  social  fff^iAmtt      g§  f/ifi 
ft  eBdal  solution. 
1>>  11^ tMfc  ef  Chftoliiiilj  k  Bowbtforeus;  the 


8S        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 

great  work  to  be  done  by  the  generations  to  come  is 
now  dearly  outlined.   It  U  nothing  leu  than  the  build. 
imgMp  inihe  mrth  qf  a  new  and  ChrieHan  type  of 
human  aociety.   This  means  that  Chiktian  peofte  ti« 
now  oaUed  to  undertake  the  task  of  social  redemption  m 
the  confidence  that  the  work  to  which  they  are  called 
ii  tlM  win  of  God.   This  means  that  Christian  men, 
who  have  been  seeking  to  mako  COotetian  homei  and 
Christian  churches,  must  widen  their  programs  and 
most  now  undertake  seriously  the  work  of  building 
Ohmtian  cities  and  making  a  Christian  state.  This 
tadc  they  cannot  evade  or  deny  without  being  disloyal 
to  the  kingdom  of  God,  disoonnting  the  power  of  the 
Gospel  and  lowering  their  standard  in  tiie  eyes  of  men. 
To  tiiis  taak  they  are  fairly  and  squarely  committed  by 
the  providenoee  of  God  and  the  exigency  of  the  times, 
and  by  tiie  waytbeyfalflll  this  task  will  they  prove 
the  smcerityof  their  faith  and  the  power  of  thsff  to. 
ligion.   The  fact  that  Christianity  has  created  tiie 
lughest  and  finest  type  of  personal  piety  is  not  enough ; 
the  fMSt  that  it  has  created  tiie  Christian  family  and 
the  Christian  Church  tdb  ns  something  about  ite  power 
Md  its  efficiency  but  it  does  not  teU  as  eveiytiiing. 
Now  It  must  prove  its  abUity  to  permeate  aU  life  and 
to  transform  society ;  Unlay  it  must  prove  its  power  to 
mate  a  Christian  type  of  sodal  otder.  To  tiiis  task 
the  Christian  discipleship  is  fWrly  oommitted  hy  tho 
Christian  ideal,  and  to  this  task  it  is  fully  caUed  by  the 
needs  of  humanity,  and  notiiing  can  becloud  this  fact 
or  soale  down  this  demand.   The  Christian  discipleship 
oannot  refuse  this  task  withoot  treason  against  tiie 
kingdom  of  God ;  it  cannot  plead  inability  witlMWt 
confessing  tiie  impotence  of  tiw  Goqwl;  a  Chris^uiitj 


THE  SOCIAL  HATUBB  OF  OHRItTIAinTr  8t 

thai  ii  Bot  adequate  to  the  lugwt  tMki  k  Bot  worth 

mj  serioua  oonsidwation ;  a  discipleship  that  does 
not  do  the  whole  work  of  the  kingdom  ia  nmlring 
it  difficult  for  men  to  have  any  interatt  in  Chrirtianity. 
The  natoTOof  OhrirtiBiiitj  and  th«  prnntim  of  history 
have  fairly  committed  to  the  Ohristiaii  nyr^j^flgirfp  ^ 
task  of  building  up  in  the  earth  tho  CbMmtjf^d 
human  society. 

BIBLIOORAPHT 
Bnm:  "Th«  Kingdom  ol  God." 
OMuplMU:  "CbristiMiityMidth»8eolal(M«r.» 
BMadiMilnuoh  :  "  ChristUuiity  and  the  Sooul  Criaia." 
FtamuUe :  "  The  World  m  the  Sabjeo*  o(  Bedemption." 
Gladden  :  "  The  Chcroh  and  Modern  Ufa." 
Ward :  "Sooial  Miniatiy  "  ;  bj  Waid  and  '•'^nn. 
Fmmt  "nwBoaWBMaofBalicioiL" 


rr 

THB  FBOOBAM  OF  SOCIAL  BALVATIOV 

THE  naton  of  the  task  before  modern  Chri*. 
tianity  suggests  the  program  of  sooial  aetkn. 
This  task  as  we  have  seen  is  notWng  less  than 
the  making  of  a  better  order  of  human  society.  The 
pngnm  H  heaoe  folkma  oontemplatet  nothing  other 
than  the  building  of  a  CtMm  type  of  loeietyoa 
earth.  What  does  this  imply  ?  "What  m  tin  ittma 
that  must  be  taken  to  reach  this  goal?  *" 
It  is  not  aeoessary,  and  it  is  not  possible  to  go  into 

detaU  and  deflae  an  the  atepi  that  must  be  taken  and 
all  the  tasks  that  must  be  fulfilled.  Bat  it  is  fanpoi^ 
tant,  yes,  it  is  necessary,  that  we  have  some  conception 
of  the  work  before  us,  that  we  have  some  sense  of  di- 
lution ia  hBBiaB  progress  and  that  we  know  the  Unea 
aloagwhioh  the  childrsa  of  God  must  move  ia  the  fol- 
fiUmont  of  their  commission ;  in  fine  it  is  essential  Uaift 
we  know  whether  we  are  seeking  the  whole  kingdom 
of  Ood  or  only  a  smaU  fraction  of  that  kingdom.  A 

otoar  ?irioB  of  th«  sad  to  be  attahied  is  all  important^  a 
definite  conception  of  the  fkoton  ent«faig  ialo  Ow  pro. 
gram  is  most  vital;  then  with  this  there  must  be  soma 
idea  of  the  reUtion  of  one  man's  work  to  all  other 
BMB*s  work,  with  some  correction  of  plans  and  efl'orts ; 
but  beyond  this  we  oaaaot  go  aad  we  need  aot  caie! 
The  particular  methods  of  Christian  work  aad  Oa 
special  applications  of  the  Christian  principles  mm 
then  depend  upon  the  needs  of  the  hour  and  the  p^fti 

M 


THS  PBOOftAM  Om  SCXSAL  SALYATiQir  66 


•ad 

advance. 

There  are  two  desiderata  that  are  essential  in  any 
working  program  of  the  Idngdom ;  with  either  of  Umm 


bat  foolish  meddkni  and  shall  defeat  the  ei^  we  hav» 
in  view,  program  of  the  kingdcnn  to  be  satia- 
factory  must  be  Christian  in  apixit  and  scope;  that  is, 
it  mint  be  bmIM  by  the  ipMi  «<  km  aad  brother. 
hood;it  mwt  be  iatswrted  hi  atf  —i  MifeMMNy> 
praise  every  life  at  a  high  valoatkm ;  and  it  mwt  sedc 
nothing  less  than  the  whole  welfare  of  man,  spu^t, 
mind  and  body.,  And  second,  it  must  be  oompraheo- 
dT«  in  MSft  «Ml  synMiHii  MliMMl;  tiiii  H  il  HMt 
take  into  account  the  various  faotoit  mAimlmg  iirta 
man's  life  and  character ;  it  must  presenre  what  may 
be  called  the  balance  in  reform  nd  progress;  and 
aboiTB  idl,  it  arasi  aot  misdirect  effort  at  any  one  point 
to  the  ntter  '*^fiMiB«  uf        it  wmm^itikm^ftkiiL 

In  the  previous  chapters  we  have  coandered  tbe  new 
task  which  the  providences  of  God  and  Iho  exigency  of 
the  times  are  setting  before  mea.  And  we  have  f ouad 
thai  tidi  ii  aoHiBg  IM  thM  ll»  of  a  OaMn 
type  of  human  society  which  iMiii^Mtt^pia»«f 
God  on  earth.  In  this  chapter  we  are  ermcomed  with 
the  program  which  men  must  follow  ia  the  proeeontion 
of  tidt  tadL  We  shall  therefore  coiMider  soaw  of  the 

tlihqa  that  BnHt  ba  doM  fegr  thsM  1^  narinaRoa 
MTth  the  city  of  God. 

L  Thb  Making  of  a  Christian  Pboosam 
1.  Tke  M  thing  is  to  aoespt  this  tMk  hi  good 
Tmf  thm OTt ■linwt  Hi rillMiHiwi 


8«        THE  80CUL  TASK  OF  CHRISTXAVITr 

the  ooDoeptioni  of  Ghristiaiiity  have  falkn  Mow  tU 
▼won  of  Christ;  that  many  of  the  programi  of  Chri^ 
Moa  h»f«  stopped  far  short  of  the  whole  prosnun 
<tf  the  UagdoM ;  tiuit        QaMm  iB  fiuit 
ao  large  and  comprehensiTe  program  at  all,  k  paiafallr 
•Tident  tu  every  stadent  of  Christian  history  and  le. 
^oos  affairs.  In  andent  and  modem  times  alike 
tbsM  hat  bMB  little  visioa  of  the  great  goal  of  the 
world;  and  so  there  has  been  little  oooaoiooi and  ool- 
lective  effort  to  realize  a  hirge  and  constructive  pio. 
gam.   One  of  the  saddest  and  most  dismal  failures  of 
Uirtoiy  has  been  the  failure  of  men  to  take  hold  of  the 
™pri  in  iti  lafgeoess  and  hradth  in  their  insistent 
determination  to  mistake  a  part  to  ^  wkiAt  tad  to 
regard  aa  ends  the  things  that  are  simply  la 
fact  many  of  the  programs  of  men  have  been  so  small 
•Bd  BMigre  that  they  can  hardly  be  called  Christian  at 
aU.  Thus  AUweoht  Biteehl  k  fully  juiifled  in  the 
■tatement  that  **sinoe  the  second  oentniy  nothing  hM 
less  guided  the  Church  in  its  efforts  for  sodal  amelioi». 
^  than  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  in 
the  ssose  in  whioh  Christ  and  His  apostles  used  the 
term."  Thus  it  has  eoaie  about  that  men  hnwitemtd 
far  short  of  the  program  of  Ohiist>  and  Christian  mm 
have  not  only  had  no  ideal  for  human  sodety,  but  they 
mn  fait  no  obligation  to  undertake  the  redemption  of 
the  social  order.  It  hat  eome  aboirt  fwm  one  cause 
and  another  that  the  prcgnuns  of  men  have  bi«  mwnh 
maaUer  than  the  program  of  the  kingdom;  and  lo 
th^  have  made  litUe  or  no  provision  for  the  redemp- 
tioii  of  sodety.  Th«e  has  been  littie  or  no  oonsdous 
and  continuing  effort  to  lealiae  a  kin  and  eonnnhMh 
dveplan.  They  have  «id  that  the  w«ld  oi^to  bt 


VBB  nOQlAM  Of  aOOUL  lALVAXiOSr  67 


gpmized,  oonitruoUve  method  of  maMng  it  better. 

It  if  trae  that  in  the  generations  past  Christian  work« 
en  have  had  Knne  ideak  and  plans  that  were  d«flnite 
enough.  But  tiMM  prograoM  m  «  mle  hKf  nol  btai 
pvQgnms  of  social  salvation ;  in  the  main  they  have  been 
personal  and  eoclesiastioal,  with  little  direct  oatlook 
upon  the  wide  world.  Many  of  these  programs  have 
b^gon  and  ended  with  self,  and  so  thoy  have  been  at 
ONM  fipoiie  with  tte  kfaigdoM.  To  w»i9%  tlM  Wttl 
from  sin  and  death  and  prepare  it  for  Uf e  in  heaven 
has  been  the  banning  and  end  of  much  effort  in  the 
past  Many  of  these  i»ognuns  have  begun  and  ended 
witii  ^  (to«h,  and  lo  ^ey  hM«  %w)Nd  wimtwitha 
of  lifsi  To  boiid  op  a  ohoroh  wUoh  should  gathir 
into  itself  the  elect  and  good  and  keep  them  safe  for 
the  Bridegroom's  coming  has  boanded  the  hopes  and 
plans  of  many  charohmen.  In  these  oonoeptions 
Christian  life,  Christtan  service,  tBonl  gnndiw  and 
ipirftaal  pwfection  have  been  constmed  in  tmm  cf 
pilKmal  welfare  ;ind  church  life ;  and  by  these  conoep- 
tioM  the  other  duties  of  life  that  lay  outside  the 
booBdaries  of  the  pesm  tad  tiM  Okaieh  were  regarded 
le  man  «p  leas mmmaal aad iwwiIot.  Itistnwthat 
many  men  in  the  Church  have  had  a  wider  vinon  and 
have  followed  a  larger  program ;  but  so  far  as  the  rank 
and  file  are  concerned  it  has  never  entered  their  minds 
tiiat  Cbristianity  had  any  otter  ob|iek  ttM  to  gather 
of  the  world  the  Lord's  deot  and  to  keep  thsm 
prepared  for  the  Lord's  return.  In  the  generation 
past  there  has  been  progress,  much  progress,  but  it  has 
been  m<»«  or  less  haphazard  and  incidental.  In  all 
Hugg  ChiiiliBft  iPodkm  hsw  ptiMhid  tito  Ctaipd  'K'hA 


M       m  tOOIAL  TAM  Of  CRSttTUiriTr 

hav>  woa  lool,  unto  Chrirt;  they  have  gathered 
MfiMWiMid  haw  baUt  ehnrohes ;  they  have  corrected 
gnat  aboMi  and  ha?«  iMdt  »*ny  improvementa  ia 
human  society;  but  they  ha.v  mmtiky  hma  oppoita. 
nutaandiervants  working  for  eome  local  andwutial 
goodwhen  they  might  have  been  soers  of  God  and 
mma»  o#  CMfc  working  for  some  great  enda  in  a 
huTge  program.' 

Thus  far  also  the  programs  of  men,  so  far  as  they 
have  had  any  programs  of  social  reform,  have  been 
hujgely  negative  and  destruotiva   Certain  evils  have 
^ed  Uufgo  In  tilt  «yai  of  wm ;  and  in  the  name  of 
and  humanity  these  evils  have  been  attaitad,  V» 
be  it  from  any  one  to  make  light  of  the  zeal  and  hero- 
im  manifested  in  the  past  and  present  in  the  warfare 
«0miOBeBaiioBal  evils,  such  as  slavery,  infantiHdtL 
the  diid.  the  social  evil,  the  Mqnor  todi;  «^ 
other  vices.   Much  has  been  done  and  much  fa  beinir 
done  to  destroy  these  evils;  and  yet  with  it  all  iSese 
trfle  diow  little  signs  of  decline  and  decrease.  We 

cannot  hero  ooarfdar  the  rnion  for  aU  of  this  apparent 
faUnre ;  but  one  or  two  things  may  be  noted.  We 
have  not  always  doalt  with  the  causes  and  the  roots 
^e^ ;  and  so  the  results  have  been  transient  and 
«onbtftiL  Wo  hftTo  not  realized  that  social  evils  have 
■odia  ooadiljaa.  and  relatloBa,  and  ao  mnit  have  a 
social  cure.  There  are  no  isohlod  wftma ;  thi  otfl  fa 
oi^ganic  and  the  cure  must  be  organic. 

%.  It  fa  better  to  live  on  the  small  arc  of  an  infinite 
oiwto  tiian  to  oompaM  the  whole  area  of  a  ten  foot 
circnmference.  One  of  the  gwat  needs  of  to^y  fa  » 
iurgp,  constructive,  compreheodve  pngam  of 

*J«tosv.lik 


THl  PBOOftAM  or  lOGIAL  SALTATIOV  80 


nhitioB.  As  ft  aaUcrof  fMtw«ihaUiMm1»alli 

to  nndentaiid  oar  own  local  and  little  work  till  we  see 
it  in  relation  to  the  whole  work  of  God  in  the  world. 
We  never  shall  take  np  the  work  of  the  kingdom  in  a 
laf|t  Mi  kopefld  way  till  ■••  lit  gniA  porpoae 
whiidi  God  is  carrying  forward  in  the  worid.  We 
never  shall  accomplish  the  largest  and  longest  results 
for  God  and  for  man  till  we  see  the  relatkm  of  the 
ptrii  to  the  wImI*  tad  kam  to  aoRibte  eaoh  man*! 
iraric  with  the  total  work  of  thaUagdoai.  Wasiii 
to  remember  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  as  wide  as  the 
purpose  of  the  Eternal  and  the  program  of  the  kingdom 
contemplates  the  saving  of  the  whole  world.  The 
ipgild  li  ^  siAJeek  of  CMl*!  isdamption,  aai  the 
fvognun  of  the  kingdom  contemplates  the  saving  of 
tha  world  in  all  its  parts  and  provinces.  The  kingdom 
of  God  we  have  agreed  never  means  anything  less  than 
a  divia6>hnmaa  society  on  earth ;  and  so  the  program  of 
tiM  Vagkm  kais»m  Mlldi%  km  or  lowar  thak  Hw 
transformation  of  the  whole  worid  and  the  psrfectioo 
of  life  in  a  human  society  in  this  world.  The  time  has 
been  whm  men  who  thoo^t  ct  the  kingdom  of  God 
aava  inoagnt  ni  mtbm  oc  safM  soMi  SM  aaawB  iBan> 
tntions.  Bat  the  time  has  oome  for  tiMsa  who  cherish 
the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  to  think  in  terms  of  Christian 
dties  and  nations.  However  it  may  have  been  in  the 
past)  the  time  has  oome  for  men  who  accept  the  ideal 
of  tiM  ktagdeai  to  ca|wofc  aoU^  kai  or  lower  tiMu  a 
new  and  Christiaa  social  order. 

8.  And  as  a  part  of  the  new  dnty  the  time  has 
oome  for  men  to  frame  scmie  large  and  Ohrutian  pro> 
gram  of  aetkxa.  Tba  tisM  has  basR  when  mm  wan 
OMrtsKl  to  werir  away  saab  at  Ui  tadt  wllii  llMla 


MICtOCOPY  RBOUITION  TBT  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


90        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 

knowledge  of  his  neighbour's  work  and  with  no  syn* 
thetio  vision  of  all  men's  work.  But  the  time  has  come 
for  us  to  think  things  together,  and  to  correlate  all 
fonns  of  effort  in  one  great  campaign.  If  religion  con- 
sists in  a  knowledge  of  the  goal  and  of  the  steps  that 
lead  to  it,  we  have  a  very  plain  duty.  We  need  some 
clear,  definite,  Christian  conception  of  the  great  ideal  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  And  we  need  some 
large,  positive,  oonstmctive  and  compehoisive  program 
of  action.  Thus  far  we  have  had  no  soch  program ; 
thus  far  there  has  been  little  conscious  and  continuous 
effort  to  realize  a  definite  plan  and  policy.  And  the 
resnlts  of  this  policy— or  lack  of  policy— are  to  be  seen 
on  every  hand. 

In  the  matter  of  city  building— to  take  an  iUustra- 
tion— men  have  usually  been  opportunists  seeing  only 
the  present  need  and  working  without  any  vision  of 
what  a  dty  should  be.  Thefar  woric  as  a  consequence 
has  been  haphazard  and  fragmentary  and  ineffectual, 
and  one  generation  has  had  to  undo  much  of  the  work 
of  its  predecessor.   What  wonder  that  our  cities  have 
been  unsightly  and  unsanitary,  with  many  evil  elements 
and  many  demoralizing  inflnenoes  ?  Not  only  so  but 
the  men  at  work  have  usually  been  specialists  in  re- 
form,  each  working  away  at  his  chosen  task  with  little 
regard  for  his  neighbours  and  with  little  interest  in  their 
work.  "  There  is  a  sense  therefore  in  which  it  might 
be  maintained  that  our  nnmeroos  social  leftwms  an 
doing  more  harm  than  good.   Persons  engaged  in 
them  are  often  so  busily  occupied  with  special  phases 
that  the  sitoation  as  a  whole  is  neglected,  and 
waste  in  time,  energy  and  money  becomes  inevitable. 
One  would  not  be  rash  in  saying  that  the  waste 


THE  PBOGBAM  OF  SOCIAL  SALTATION  91 


through  social  Tioet  k  to  a  considerable  extent  dupli- 
cated by  the  waste  due  to  the  defeotiiv  and  con* 
peting  methods  of  religioas,  motal  and  social  agemnaa 

in  reform." ' 

The  time  has  come  for  the  men  of  good  will  in  every 
city  to  vnite  their  wisdom  and  visimi  and  fsith  in  the 
oonstmction  of  a  city  plan  and  program  that  shall 
contemplate  the  future  and  shall  unite  all  the  forces  of 
progress.  The  time  has  come  for  men  to  consider  all 
the  factors  and  forces  that  enter  into  the  making  of 
batter  cities  and  then  to  oonreiaite  and  ocnnbine  these 
towards  the  one  end.  We  must  learn  to  think  in  terms 
of  cities  and  states  and  continents.  We  must  make  a 
place  for  the  statesmanship  of  the  kingdom  and  must 
bave  large  and  statesmanlike  policies.  We  must  view 
the  field  as  a  whole  and  must  know  the  needs  and  the 
resources  of  the  city.  We  must  plan  campaigns — not 
skirmishes — and  we  must  train  Christian  workers  to 
be  long  term  soldiers  and  not  mere  three  months' 
vohmtoem. 

Suppose  all  of  the  men  of  good  will  in  any  dtj 
should  thus  unite  their  wisdom  and  faith  and  virion  in 
the  construction  of  a  large  and  comprehensive  program 
of  city  improvement  ?  Suppose  these  same  men  should 
then  enlist  for  the  kmg  campaign  and  shcmM  make 
every  effort  and  movement  the  working  out  of  r  large 
plan  ?  Is  it  not  certain  that  waste  will  be  prevented, 
efficiency  will  be  promoted  and  the  city  that  might  be 
will  socm  beocmie  the  oi^  that  is?  It  may  not  be 
possible  or  desiratde  for  the  men  of  one  generation  to 
forestall  or  control  the  future,  for  the  thoughts  of  men 
are  widened  with  the  progress  of  the  years,  and  the 

>DMli7,  "Sooioloar."  p.  IM. 


W        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUNITY 

pro-am  of  to^y  may  be  out^wn  to-morrow.  But 
at  this  time  of  day  with  our  knowledge  of  history  and 
Mdogjr,  ■ooidogy  and  psychology,  it  ought  to  be  pos. 
able  for  men  to  construct  a  oompreliaiiive  and  posiSvi 
program  that  shall  indicate  the  true  dii«etioii  ofproir- 

Si^f  T  L  J""^"^.^^  «>ciology,  with  our  knowl- 
thf  i  !^  *«rtor8  of  heredity  and  enviromnent,  with 
the  intelligence  and  devotion  that  aw  found  fai  the 
churches  and  in  the  schools,  with  all  the  acUementi 
of  the  past  aiid  all  the  resouroes  of  the  present  at  our 
It  ou^rht  to  be  possible  for  men  to  frame  soi^ 
definite  plaa  of  campaign  and  to  outline  some  positive 
program  of  action,  in  which  each  kind  of  tatait  ivfflhave 
Its  us^  where  every  class  of  workers  will  have  their  place 

SliT^!!'^'"''''''*^  j«^*»««^andsUe 
jMdi  in  the  prowoution  of  some  great  task.  Thetime 
has  come  to  accept  the  great  Meal  of  Chrisfc-the  kinir- 
dom  of  God  on  earth-to  frame  a  large  and  ooortnu^ 
ive  program  of  action,  to.  learn  to  think  in  terms  of 
■odal  salvation,  and  to  make  aU  our  eflforts  deUberatelv 
«md  oonscfcmdy  telia   It  is  .rfd  that  every  soldier  of 
Napoleon  earned  in  his  pocket  a  map  of  Europe  and 
that  he  dreamed  of  a  time  when  a  great  French  ^pi«, 
•hould  be  established  throughout  the  continent.  How- 
m  this  may  be  the  children  of  the  kingdom  cany  in 
^  hearte  the  outline,  of  the  com&T WngdS^S 
God  ,md  they  live  for  the  time  when  the  ci^o?^ 
^have  been  realized  on  earth.   The  firet  thimr 
Uwwfore  is  to  accept  the  whole  program  of  the  iS 
aom-a  new  righteous  sodal  order  in  this  world-I^d 

w  of  ™^  ^  ^  «alvatioi»-~the  mak. 

ing  of  a  Ghnttian  Mdtfy. 


TBI  PBOORAM  OF  SOCIAL  SALYATIOH  0S 


n.  Thx  Pbooium  or  Ohbistianitt 
Li  attempting  to  frame  nioh  a  aoaal  program  w«  are 
not  working  wholly  in  the  dark ;  for  we  have  some 
very  definite  suggestums  in  the  t«>iv*hi»fg  and  life  of  th* 
Son  of  Man. 

1.  The  oatlinee  of  this  Christian  program  are  sag- 
geetod  in  the  prayer  which  the  Muter  tanght  His  dii> 
o^dee: 

Oor  Father  who  art  in  heaven : 

Hallowed  be  Thy  name, 

Thy  kiiu;dom  oom^ 

Thy  willbe  done, 
On  earth  even  as  in  heaven  ; 

Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread ; 

And  forgive  ns  our  sins ;  for  we  ouraelvea  alao 

Foi|;ive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  xm  i 

And  bring  m  not  into  tampCatUm  | 

Bat  deliwni  fkem  eviL 

That  men  may  know  Gk)d's  name  and  may  honour  it ; 
that  they  may  believe  in  His  kingdom  and  nraj  seek 
it;  that  they  may  accept  His  will  and  do  it, — ^this  is 
implied  in  tiie  first  three  petitions.  And  ail  this,  be  it 
observed,  not  in  some  other  world,  but  here  on  earth 
wlMre  men  now  live.  Then  implkd  in  this  and  grow- 
ing ont  of  it»  we  find  certain  specifio  things  that  hvre 
to  do  with  their  life  on  earth.  That  men  may  have 
daily  bread,  that  all  men  may  have  enough  for  their 
needs,  that  they  who  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  are  to 
seek  snoh  a  social  order  that  every  man  may  earn  and 
eat  his  own  bread,  this  is  cleariy  fanplied  in  one  petition. 
That  men  are  to  forgive  one  another,  that  they  are 
to  put  away  the  things  that  divide  them,  and  then  that 
they  are  to  set  men  free  from  the  dominion  of  sin  as 


W        THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

they  hope  to  be  free  themselves,  this  is  plainly  involyrf 

L'Siil^Pffi  That  they  may  be  delivWed  from 
temptetka,  that  they  aie  to  put  away  the  things  that 
may  become  temptations  to  othen,  that  tbcTare  to 
stnve  for  a  social  order  in  ^  hich  the  thiim  that  tempt 

STi.'S*^  ^oT'         ^  ^  *  part  of  the 

n  ^1       ^  ^"^y      deliverance  from 

evil  that  they  ihaU  remoye  evil  things  from  their 
brothers'  way,  that  they  shaU  live  to  toowmett  from 
their  chains,  to  free  ^heir  minds  from  error  and  fear 
and  superstition,  that  they  shaU  lift  the  handicaps  that 
are  upon  men,  that  they  shaU  lighten  their  buid^  and 
give  every  soul  a  fair  opportunity  in  life,  this  rarely  is 
a  task  which  they  who  offer  this  prayer  are  to  fuMU. 

*v   ^.^i"*"^  ^""^  »        <iefinite  outline  of 

the  Christian  program  in  the  Master's  own  life  and 
work.  P«haps  the  best  statemmt  of  the  program  is 
given  by  the  Master  Himself  in  His  instraotioiiirto  His 
disciples.   Twice  at  least  He  sent  out  companies  of  dis. 
aplee  on  missionary  tours,,  and  in  both  cases  the  direc 
tteis  are  rabstantiaUy  the  same.   They  aro  commis- 
sioned to  preach  the  Good  News  of  the  kingdom,  to 
heal  the  sick,  and  to  cast  oat  demons.   AndSa mm 
tive  p^ly  states  that  the  disciples  fulfiUed  this  whole 
oommisBion  and  they  so  reported  to  the  Master.  There 
are  oertam  koal  and  transient  elements  in  this  com- 
mission, we  may  admit,  but  none  tiie  kss  ft  outlines 
Jesus' method  of  establishing  the  kingdom.  And  what 

Master  Himself  did  m  His  work  for  the  kingdom.  But 
not  always  have  the  disdples  sinoe  foUowed  this  hage 
and  comprehensive  program, 
a.  The  first  item  they  have  aooepted  and  have 


THE  PBOGBAM  OF  SOCIAL  8ALYATI0N  96 


■ought  to  folfill,  and  in  one  way  and  another  tiMj  Imn 
preached  the  Oood  News  to  men.  This  is  proper  and 
this  is  right ;  and  never  must  we  ignore  tbis  item  or 
minimiie  its  importanoa  To  tdl  the  Good  Kews  to 
ererj  oreatare,  to  win  men  onto  God  and  to  train  them 
in  Ghristlike  living — ^this  forever  will  be  aa  <t«ywifa'f>l 
part  of  the  Christian  program.  But  tiiere  are  other 
items  in  this  oomnussion  which  are  no  less  worthy  of 
emphasis  and  aooeptanoe.  And  yet  the  second  and 
third  parts  of  this  duoge  have  not  been  aoeepted  bj 
the  Chnfdi  genemlly  as  a  part  of  tbe  divine  eonmlik 
sion. 

In  all  ages  there  have  been  parties  in  the  Church — 
little  groups  of  faddists  often,  oibboots  from  the  main 
stem — who  have  believed  in  divine  healing  and  have 
tried  to  raise  the  sick  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  But 
this  part  of  the  commission  cannot  be  neglected  by 
Christian  men  at  huge ;  least  of  all  can  we  be  satisfied 
to  have  it  interprated  in  tlia  nanow  wi^  of  wma  di- 
vine healers.  However  it  may  have  been  in  the  patt| 
the  time  has  come  for  Christian  men  to  accept  this  com- 
mission in  good  faith  and  to  nutke  it  a  part  of  their 
regular  woric.  But  here  as  everywhere  we  must  in- 
terpret the  teachings  of  Scripture  in  tibe  ti|^  of  Hhb 
will  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  order  of  nature.  And 
interpreting  the  charge  in  this  light  it  has  a  wonderful 
meaning  and  defines  a  plain  duty.  To-day  we  are 
learning  that  tkksum  and  disease  have  mnmm,  aad 
these  causes  are  more  or  less  within  the  control  of  man 
and  of  society.  It  follows  that  the  men  of  the  king- 
dom who  would  heal  the  sick  must  deal  with  causes 
and  most  endeavour  to  keep  people  welL  We  may 
not  posM  the  poirir  of  healiiig  the  siA  by  adawBlw 


W       THE  SOCIAL  TAM  OF  CBBmUHIlT 

doe.  not  absolve  us  from  aU  obligation.  No^w»«. 
able  to  heal  Uie  dok  by  the  use  of  nature's  means  rnl^ 

is,  it  is  the  duty  of  Ohrfrtian  men  televise  wavi 
means  that  shaU  make  for  health  .^Z^ZZ 

S^.SSi'L'*^?''^^"'^*^  reate3onS2 

f'     .  and  places;  in  a 

kingdom  of  God  to  pwvid.  for  ev^y  ««1  ti«^ 

that  it  is  just  „  Christian  to  work  forKmiUyy 

a.  Chmtiike  to  kboar  for  a  ri^taou.  eoonoiuM,  orfer 
w  to  dole  out  bread  to  the  hungiy;  «»d  w^SS 
that  Uus  IS  a  wise  and  pnustiod  waj  of  faWUiJS 
pwt  of  the  divme  commission.  " 

To  oMt  out  demons  is  an  item  m  this  proimun 
which  must  not  be  overlooked.  Itisnot^L^^ 
spend  any  tmie  discussing  the  question  of  d^Tw 
«J«on  or  even  to  consider  the  existence  of  demoiTat 

J'^SJ'^*^*  ^      *i°»e  of  Christ 

bd^eved  in  the  «drteBoe  of  pe«on.i  demons  andk 

ttfluences  and  powers  incanmted  themselves inhZtt 
^  ^^^^lyes  through  human 

Mm.  The  disciples  beUeved  also  that  the  S^n  of  Man 

out  of  human  beings.   And  they  accepted  the  ooT 

tt^*^!!!"'^:   There  may  be  certain  local  and 
^n«»t  ehanente  in  this  belief  of  the  early  discipl« 

but  th««  oertidn  deep  «d  abiding  prindplL 


TBI  noeiAM  OF  lOOUL  BALYATUai  9f 


nidok  w  Buitl  reoognisa  There  is  saoh  a  thing  ai 
trfl  hi  the  worid,  and  this  eril  manifeeti  iteeif  hi  the 

lives  of  men  and  the  institutions  of  society.  Then 
are  many  things  that  are  evil  in  all  of  oar  communi- 
ties in  that  they  defile  human  souls  and  they  work 
•bomiiiaikioB  and  make  a  lie ;  they  are  stombUng-blocks 
in  the  way  of  the  people  and  their  presence  is  a  con- 
tinual suggestion  of  evil  and  a  subtle  solicitation  to  sin. 
Such  institutions  as  the  saloon  and  the  evil  resort,  vile 
literature  and  impure  shows,  are  wholly  evil  in  their 
infloenoe  and  UtOr  pNMnoe  k  tmpaiam»  for  mndk 
vice  and  disorder,  for  the  inoreaaed  mmber  of  juvenilia 
offenders  and  for  the  ruin  of  many  3">ung  girls. 

With  reference  to  these  evils  and  i  'hers  like  them 
the  attftude  at  all  good  men  is  perfectly  pkun :  They 
■honld  maintain  an  attitiidfi  of  active  and  unceasing 
opposition.  Whatever  the  stumbling-block  may  be  our 
duty  is  plain:  we  must  take  up  the  stumbling-block 
out  of  the  way  of  the  peopla  We  must  make  straight 
paths  lor  maa'a  Iwt;  we  must  make  it  aa  easy  as  po»- 
iiUa  for  peojde  to  do  right  and  as  hard  as  po«ibla  Ibr 
them  to  do  wrong.  And  we  have  the  means  in  our 
hands  whereby  we  may  destroy  these  works  of  the 
dtvil  and  may  cast  the  demons  out  of  society.  In  the 
Apooafypse  we  read  that  they,-4he  followera  of  tha 
Lamb— overcame  him,  the  devil,  "  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  and  the  word  of  their  testimony;  and  they 
loved  not  theur  lives  unto  death."  Not  without  reason 
is  the  word  of  the  Lord  oaQed  the  sword  of  the  Spirit; 
and  more  than  once  we  are  told  that  this  word  is 
mighty  in  casting  out  demons  and  tearing  down  strong- 
holds. This  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the  word  of  brave 
testim<my,  is  rusting  in  its  scabbard  to-day  and  Chris- 


98        TH£  SOCIAL  TASK  Of  CHBISTIAlIITr 


tian  men  do  not  nupect  its  power.  Soppoee  Um  pao> 
pie  of  God  could  get  the  dust  out  of  Uieir  eyes  and 
oonld  see  things  as  they  are ;  suppose  they  could  give 
forth  in  cm  vdoe  the  woid  of  their  united  testimony; 
thera  is  hardly  an  evil  in  society  howwrw  bold  cr 
strong  that  would  not  be  stricken  to  the  earth  and 
crawl  away  to  die  in  the  darkness.  This  is  not  all, 
bat  aa  dtiiena  the  God  of  nations  has  placed  in  our 
handa  another  weapon  no  kis  potent  Not  in  ?ain  ii 
the  magistrate  oalkd  the  "  deacon  of  God  unto  mm 
for  good  " ;  and  we  are  plainly  told  that  he  bean  not 
the  sword  in  vain ;  for  he  is  God's  servant  attending 
oontfaraally  onto  ibk  very  thing;  being  set  for  the 
punishment  of  evil-doers  and  for  the  pnfae  of  thm 
that  do  well'  This  is  not  all,  but  as  sovereign  oitiMaa 
in  the  free  state  we  have  in  our  hands  a  weapon  whose 
potency  we  have  not  yet  suspected.  In  that  little  slip 
of  white  paper  called  a  ballot  we  have  a  weapon  that 
may  be  mighty  throng^  God  in  bealhiig  dowm  tvil  aad 
in  oaating  oat  demou. 

"  There  is  a  weapon  surer  still, 
And  swifter  than  the  bayonet. 
That  eieeatea  a  freeman  a  idlL 
Aa  ll||ktaiagdoeithewiUofGod.>» 

In  many  of  oar  cmnmnnities  there  are  evils  that  are 
bold  and  open  because  there  is  little  organked  and 
persistent  opposition  to  them.  In  all  of  our  craunnni* 
ties  there  are  many  nuisances  that  could  easily  be 
abated  if  some  one  would  only  voice  a  protest  and 
lead  in  a  orasade  tot  theur  entinetioo.  Some  fonna 
of  evil  it  it  poadble  may  oomtiniia  for  a  long  time  to 

*Besksltt.|M. 


THB  nOGBAM  OT  SOCIAL  tALVATlOir  M 

eone  and  w«  anj  nol  be  abU  wholly  to  eliminate 
them.  Bat  we  oan  wige  an  imeeMiBg  warfivt  i^^Mi 

them;  we  can  make  their  practice  hazardons  aain* 
ptofitable ;  we  can  limit  them  and  lenen  their  poww 
for  evil;  we  can  wear  them  down  and  crowd  them  oat 
■ad  oaa  pvoride  that  th^  never  duOl  become  recog- 
nized  and  l^tfanated  practices  and  eMtom.  The 
work  of  taking  up  Btumbling-blocks,  of  casting  ont 
demons,  of  making  straight  paths  for  men's  feet,  of 
creating  better  conditions  in  society,  we  submit,  is  a 
l^gMmate  and  neoeesaiy  part  of  the  Christian  pro- 
gram ;  and  the  time  hau  come  when  we  should  accept 
this  commission  in  good  faith  and  rrHntely  eel 
about  its  realization. 

The  leooiid  and  third  itemi  hi  this  program  we  hare 
not  fully  accepted  as  a  part  of  our  pragram ;  and  ao  we 
have  not  consciously  sought  to  fulfill  them  in  their  full 
scope.  We  have  tried  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  to  win 
men  nto  COirist;  but  because  of  our  neglect  of  the 
other  items  in  the  eommlmloa  we  have  not  always 
made  most  effective  the  first  part  of  oar  miMioB.  This 
is  not  all,  but  the  power  and  efficiency  of  the  goepel 
preachmg— according  to  the  promise  of  the  Master  •— 
are  to  be  proved  hi  the  signs  that  follow.  Thus,  as  the 
people  who  hear  and  receive  the  Goepel  set  about  the 
work  of  healing  the  sick  and  casting  out  demons,  wiU 
they  demonstrate  the  power  and  worth  of  their  Gospel 
In  view  of  the  life  and  teacUng  of  the  Master ;  in  view 
<rf  His  program  of  aotkm  and  Hii  eharge  to  Hia  disci- 
ples; in  view  of  His  parting  commi8si<»  and  ptomiseB, 
we  are  warranted  in  saying  that  the  work  of  healing 
the  sick  and  casting  out  demons  is  as  much  a  legitimate 

•MHkzTLlT.  IS. 


100      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAMITT 


part  of  onr  work  as  preaching  the  Qood  News  of  the 
kingdom  and  teaching  men  the  way  of  life,  n  fine,  it 
is  jntt  aa  necenary  that  aome  Christians  atcept  the 
oilMr  it«i  in  th«  Ohristian  program  and  bina  ap  tha 
brokaa  haartad,  pioolaim  libwtj  to  mfidwm,  tba  op«i. 
ing  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  boond,  and  the  day 
of  veageanoe  upon  the  works  of  darkness,  as  it  is  that 
other  Christians  tell  the  Gk>od  Tidings  to  the  meek,  seek 
tha  wandem  wlio  htnf  gona  aatnj  and  oon^orl  them 
that  mourn. 

III.  Thb  Salvation  op  the  Whole  Man 
1.  There  is  one  thing  which  is  all  determining  in 
oar  thon^t  and  effort,  ai^  that  k  oar  ooooeptioB  of 
nlfation.  "  The  Son  of  Man  ia  come  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost,"  thus  far  all  men  are  agreed. 
But  the  moment  we  attempt  to  define  this  term  salva- 
tk«  oonfosioii  begins ;  the  momant  m  aak  what  Ohriil 
aetaaUy  lam  we  find  that  men  ara  tha  dtamatar  oltha 
world  apart.  Thus,  for  -long  generations  and  by  mil- 
lions of  men  the  word  salvation  has  been  taken  in  a 
narrow  and  partial  sense ;  they  have  construed  salvation 
in  terma  of  the  sonl'a  welfsra  and  have  limited  their  in- 
terest to  one  single  realm  of  life  and  one  single  as- 
pect of  man's  being.  To  be  saved  usually  signified  to 
have  one's  sins  forgiven  and  to  have  one's  soul  pre- 
pared for  heaven.  To  be  saved  meant  to  be  saved  out 
of  the  world  and  to  be  fitted  ihv  soom  <rther  world 
beyond  the  range  of  earth  and  tim&  Man's  being  was 
divided  up  into  sections,  into  two,  body  and  soul  ac- 
cording to  some ;  into  three,  body,  soul  and  spirit  ao- 
oording  to  others;  the  body  is  of  the  earth,  earthy  and 
poriihing  and  so  is  entitled  to  littto  oonwidnration ;  the 


TMB  raOGIAli  Of  lOCUL  lALTAmur  101 


ama  li  tteMMBtU  and  an,  allied  to  God  and 
imaiortal,  and  so  ia  the  preoioaa  and  prioakaa  tldag. 

Thb  loal  ia  the  aubjeot  of  Ghrist'a  redemption,  man 
have  aaid ;  the  body  ia  a  negligiblo  quantity  and  doea 
BOl  gtaatly  oonoern  the  Master.  Besides,  the  man 
1^  takia  mwh  JBtamk  in  hk  body  is  apt  to  ns^aei 
his  soul  •  let  the  body  go  if  only  the  soul  may  be  saved. 
If  the  soul  has  an  eternal  and  heavenly  hope  why 
ahoold  man  oare  what  hia  earthly  condition  may  be? 
To  be  ooBoenied  about  food  and  drink  and  clothing  ia 
to  belittle  thb  %  old  and  to  andanger  Ha  deathless  glory. 

In  all  of  these  conceptions  salvation  had  to  do  with 
the  sonl  and  had  little  relation  to  the  whole  life.  In 
all  of  these  conceptions  salvaticm  was  an  end  in  itaelf 
nte  thaBameana  toaaand.  Man  have  thooght  of 
iilvation  not  as  the  fullness  of  life  here,  bat  aa  thaaa> 
aurance  of  a  life  hereafter.  They  have  laid  chief  strea 
not  oa  salvation  here  and  now  as  life  in  the  kingdom 
ol  God  OB  earth,  but  on  salvation  in  the  n  'rrower  sense 
aaesoapafiraBtbavatribiitk»aollMilhe  fterandeo 
as  the  rescue  of  the  soul  from  the  ^vreok  c  3,  perishing 
world.  Let  the  world  go,  men  hp.ve  8aid,  if  only  the 
soul  may  be  saved.  "  Wbat  shaU  •  t  profit  a  man  if  he 
gain  the  wholaworid  a.  1  loae  his  own  aool?  Aad 
what  shall  a  man  giva  in  eaodiaDga  for  Ida  eonl?" 
Millions  of  men  and  women,  like  the  writer,  have 
grown  up  in  the  Church  and  have  lived  in  a  Christian 
land,  who  for  years  never  imagined  that  the  purpose  of 
Christ  was  any  larger  than  that  here  indioatod.  It  did 
not  enter  into  our  hearts  to  conceive  that  Christ  had 
come  to  save  the  whole  man,  body,  mind  and  spirit  for 
this  life  as  well  as  for  the  life  to  come.  It  did  not 
dawn  upon  some  of  na  till  we  wer.3  thirty  years  of  age 


109      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


that  Christ  had  come  to  save  the  whole  man  and  to 
build  on  earth  a  Christian  social  order.  Our  case  was 
not  at  all  exceptional ;  but  exceptional  or  not  we  were 
not  wholly  to  blame  for  it. 

2.   In  contrast  to  all  these  conceptions  we  may  wt 
the  life  and  teaching  of  the  Master.   He  is  His  own 
bett  interpreter  and  illustrates  in  His  life  His  own  terms. 
Aooording  to  the  Gospel  reotnd  Jesns  worked  fwthe 
whole  man  and  He  never  made  any  distinction  between 
work  for  the  soul  and  work  for  the  body.   In  fact  He 
spent  R  large  part  of  His  time  ministering  to  what  men 
are  pleased  to  call  the  tonporal  and  material  needs  of 
the  people.  Twice  at  least,  as  we  have  seen,  He  sent 
out  bands  of  workers,  and  in  both  cases  the  instructions 
are  the  same.   They  are  to  preach  the  Good  News  of 
the  kingdom,  to  heal  the  sick,  and  to  cast  out  demons. 
In  the  Kazarath  synagogue  He  oatlined  His  program, 
showing  that  He  has  come  to  hlem  the  whole  life  of 
man.'   At  a  later  time  He  gave  or  the  crowning  proof 
of  His  ministry  the  fact  that  tho  lame  walk,  the  blind 
receive  their  sight,  the  lepers  ave  cleansed  and  the  dead 
are  raised  np,  and  to  the  poor  the  good  news  fa 
prea<3hed.'  It  may  be  said  that  the  churches  have  usually 
given  these  words  an  almost  wholly  spiritual  and  in- 
ward application ;  but  in  so  doing  they  have  perverted 
the  plain  teaching  of  the  Master  and  missed  the  power 
of  Hisexample.  The  interest  of  Christ  was  not  limited 
to  what  men  are  pleased  to  call  the  inward  and  spirit- 
ual life.   He  came  to  save  the  man,  body,  mind  and 
spirit ;  He  came  to  save  the  man  for  this  world  and  for 
every  world ;  He  came  to  uve  raan*s  years,  his  powers, 
his  inflaenoe  for  tho  kingd<»n  hero ;  He  wasnot  oontSBt 

»I«to  It.  17-90.  'litM.si.4.6. 


THB  PBOG&AM  OF  SOCIAL  SALVATION  103 


to  have  a  man  waste  his  yean  in  sin  and  then,  repoit- 
ing  at  the  very  end  of  life,  to  have  his  soul  saved  for 
heaven ;  He  was  not  content  that  men  should  have 
hungry  bodies  and  unillnmined  minds,  if  only  their 
souls  might  be  saved  from  doom  hereafter.  In  fact  He 
knew  nothing  of  any  such  conception  as  this,  and  it  is 
certain  that  He  would  repudiate  it  as  falie  and  worth- 
less. 

Ib  Hii  taacihhig  He  is  no  lew  flspUoH  and  porithreb 
As  a  matter  of  fact  He  never  made  any  distinotkm 
between  body  and  soul,  treating  one  part  of  man  as 
accidental  and  trifling  and  another  part  as  essential 
and  eiemaL  He  never  said  one  word  about  saving  the 
soul:  Sava  yonr  life,  mm  Hh  aoBrtant  and  imiwiisBiire 
charge  to  men.  There  are  several  instances  in  the 
Gospels  where  the  word  soul  is  used,  but  every  student 
knows  that  the  Greek  word  is  loosely  translated.  Ser- 
mons and  homilies  innumen^de  have  been  jmaehed 
from  the  text :  "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  What  shall  a 
man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?  "  But  as  a  matter 
of  &ot  the  word  here  translated  soul  is  the  same  word 
tkal  in  ft  fonMT  vene  is  traailftted  life:«H«  tbtt 
findeth  his  life  shaU  lose  it ;  and  whosoever  loseth  hii 
life  for  My  sake  shall  find  it." '  The  nature  of  the  say- 
ing necessitates  this  translation  of  the  word.  By  what 
tijbt  then  do  we  diange  the  translatkm  in  th«  verse 
below  and  represent  Cflbikt  as  confusing  men  by  talking 
about  the  soul  ?  Save  your  life,  this  was  His  charge  to 
men.  Have  a  care  for  your  life,  is  His  warning  in  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  Let  your  whole  life  be  given 
to  tl»  Idngdom  of  God  md  its  servioe ;  doiiol  wMto 


104      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITT 

yourself  on  the  purely  incidental  and  accidental  things. 
But  the  contrast  here  is  not  between  body  and  soul,  as 
tome  suppose,  but  between  life  saved  for  the  kingdom 
and  devoted  to  its  chief  end  and  life  spent  for  self  and 
wasted  on  trifles. 

The  salvation  of  the  whole  man  was  the  object  of 
Christ's  effort  And  this  it  may  be  said  is  a  much 
laiger  and  more  inolnsiye  work  than  the  saving  of  the 
soul.   To  save  the  life  is  to  save  the  whole  man,  body, 
mind  and  spirit ;  to  save  the  life  is  to  save  man  in  all 
his  capacities  and  powers  and  possibilities;  to  save 
the  life  is  to  save  his  whole  existence,  his  days  and 
years  and  talents  for  the  kingdom  and  its  service. 
Suppose  the  Son  of  Man  were  here  to^y  and  saw  men 
giving  their  lives  to  the  gaining  of  the  world,  coining 
theur  time  and  their  talents  into  gold,  and  yet  all  the 
time  comiting  upon  having  their  souls  saved  by  divine 
mercy.   Would  He  not  ask  sadly :  What  shall  ii  profit 
a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
life  ?  And  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
life  ?  Man  has  just  one  lifetime,  a  little  gleam  of  light 
between  two  eternities,  a  little  space  in  which  to  serve 
the  kingdom  and  its  righteousness.   To  spend  this  life- 
time gathering  gold  and  seeking  honour  is  to  «  miss  the 
mark  "  and  to  lose  one's  life.   To  spend  one's  life  seek- 
ing things  that  have  no  rektion  to  the  kingdom  and  its 
coming  is  to  waste  one's  life  and  to  make  a  tragic 
failure.   The  Son  of  Man  came  to  establish  the  kingw 
dom  of  God  on  earth,  and  His  saving  work  for  man 
must  always  be  looked  at  in  the  light  of  this  supreme 
pnrpose.  The  program  of  the  kingdom  contempktes 
the  saving  of  the  whole  man,  for  this  life  i!Uid  fm  every 
lifa  It  follows  that  the  saving  work  of  COiriit  oontaBf 


THE  FBOGRAM  09  SOCIAL  ftALYATIOH  105 


plates  the  saving  of  man's  life  for  tlie  Uiigdom  hen; 

and  this  is  primary  in  His  interest  and  fundamental  in 
His  teaching.  The  man  who  is  saved  for  the  kingdom 
is  a  saved  man,  the  man  who  lives  outside  the  kingdom 
is  a  lost  man.  The  one  k  saved  because  he  has  f<»md 
the  highest  good  and  is  giving  his  life  to  its  true  end. 
The  other  is  lost  because  he  has  missed  the  mark  and  is 
throwing  his  life  away  on  false  objects.  The  kingdom 
of  Qtod  includes  the  whole  life  of  man  and  is  cotermi- 
nous with  the  whole  purpose  of  God.  The  kingdmn  of 
God,  it  cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized,  is  not  here 
to  empty  life  but  to  fill  it ;  not  subtraction  but  addi- 
tion is  the  arithmetic  of  the  kingdom.  There  are 
those—there  always  have  been,  there  always  will  be — 
who  tell  us  that  the  Idessing  of  Ha  kingdcmi  is  a  spir- 
itual blessing ;  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  yoo,  thsj 
say;  the  salvation  which  Jesus  brings  is  deliverance 
from  this  world  and  its  trials ;  in  fact  the  great  work 
of  life  is  preparatioii  for  quitting  life.  All  this  is  somo- 
thing  more  than  so  much  quibbling  abcwit  the  tnosfab- 
tion  of  a  word ;  it  involves  a  diflferent  conception  of  the 
work  of  Christ  and  the  meaning  of  salvation;  and 
growing  out  of  all  this  it  implies  a  wholly  different 
oonoeptitm  of  the  life  of  man  and  the  duty  of  lif^  To 
reestablish  this  truth  in  its  central  place  in  man's ' 
thought  and  to  make  it  the  standard  conception  of  the 
world  is  in  a  sense  a  large  part  of  the  present  task  of 
Christian  teachers. 

8.  The  Son  ol  Man  has  oome  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost.  He  comes  to  save  men  here  and  now, 
in  their  whole  being  with  all  its  powers.  Several  years 
ago,  President  G.  W.  Northmp  ii  a  memorable  ad- 
diessi  in  oomidflring  the  hindrances  to  the  worit  of  the 


106      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 

kingdom,  gave  as  the  first  cause  the  departue  from  tlw 
method  of  Christ,  in  laying  chief  stress,  not  on  salva- 
tion here  and  now,  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom 
in  the  earth,  bnt  on  salvation  in  the  nanower  sense  of 
the  term,  as  escape  from  the  retiibatimii  of  hell  here- 
after.  Christ  did  not  dwell  chiefly  upon  salvation  as 
pertaining  to  the  future  world,  but  as  a  good  to  be  re- 
alized here,  through  the  reign  of  love  in  the  souls  of 
men,  constraining  them  to  grateful  and  self-sacrificing 
labours  that  the  will  of  God  may  be  done  eveiywheve 
on  earth  as  in  heaven.'   With  Jesus  Christ  salvation  is 
learning  how  to  live  as  the  child  of  God  ought  to  live. 
With  hhn  the  first  duty  of  life  is  learning  how  to  live 
as  a  good  citizen  in  the  kingdom  <a  Ood  on  earth.  It 
is  true  that  Jesus  comes  to  save  men  from  hell,  but  it 
is  the  hell  of  both  worlds.   He  seeks  to  save  man  for 
the  kingdom  ^ere,  and  the  man  who  is  saved  for  the 
kingdom  is  a  saved  man.  With  Jeans  Christ  the  great 
work  of  man  is  learning  how  to  live  in  the  kingdom 
and  to  make  one's  life  a  service  of  God.   It  is  true  that 
He  does  give  a  few  hints  concerning  the  diverse  des- 
tiniei  of  men  in  the  life  to  come ;  true  also  that  He 
doei  set  before  men  ihe  etonal  braes  of  ccmdnot;  bat 
m  a  sense  all  His  ref eraioes  to  the  future  are  incidental 
and  ancillary.   He  assumes  the  future  and  He  views 
man's  life  in  the  light  of  its  eternal  meaning ;  but  the 
khigdom  of  God  as  a  good  here  and  now  fills  all  the 
foreground  of  His  thou^t  With  Jeras  Ghiist  eternal 
life  is  not  a  future  attainment  but  a  present  experience. 
To  have  eternal  life  is  to  live  in  time  the  life  of  eter- 
ni^.*  Fot  every  word  that  Jesus  spoke  about  the  sav- 

"'OwlMMy  IfiirioMiy  AddnnM,"  pp.  68,  72. 
•Baflsa,  "Tiw  TwBWiig  <i  Jmm,"  Ch^Hr  JOY. 


THS  BBOOSAM  OF  SOCIAL  SALVATIDH  107 


ing  of  the  loal  He  ipoke  »  hmcfaml  woidi  about  the 
kingdom  of  Ood.  With  Him  Om  emphasiB  felli  upon 

the  present  life  in  this  present  world.  He  looked  over 
the  world  and  He  saw  men  living  selush,  unbrotherlj, 
unworthy  lives;  they  were  living  in  the  hell  of  a 
waited  manhood  and  a  lost  life  and  a  wrong  purpose : 
they,  the  children  of  God,  were  f otg^fol  or  ignora,'  u 
of  their  high  privilege  and  their  trae  end.  And  He 
came  to  save  men  from  all  this;  He  came  to b'':r^ 
tiMm  into  filial  and  lovxog  relations  with  Gk)d ;  to  set 
them  free  from  the  domi^on  of  yH  wcA  liii;  to  give 
them  new  objects  in  life  and  to  renew  them  in  knowt 
edge ;  in  a  word  to  lift  up  the  whole  life  of  man  into 
the  light  and  life  of  Gk)d.  Save  your  life,  was  the 
Martcr^  <diaige  to  men ;  save  your  life  in  the  kingdom 
•nd  lor  the  kingdom.  The  aooeptance  of  this  troth 
will  mean  a  complete  change  in  the  thought  of  Ohria- 
tian  men  and  will  demand  a  complete  revalnatioa 
their  methods  of  work. 

The  CHRI8TIANIZATI0N  OF  THE  iNSTITUTIOirS 

OF  Man's  Life  and  Theib  Enlistmxrt  nr 

THE  WOKK  OF  80OI AL>  IC^EMFTION 

There  are  three  great  insiitutiocr  knovm  to  map  that 
are  here  in  the  idll  and  purpoee  of  God  and  are  im» 
plied  in  the  being  and  nature  of  man.  Each  is  a  me> 
dium  through  which  God  fulfills  His  purpose  ir  the 
world,  and  through  each  the  life  of  God  is  getting  it- 
•df  nAwm  into  Uie  life  of  humanity.  Eaoh  is  a  meant 
through  which  man  climbe  the  aeoent  of  progrem,  and 
through  each  man  becomes  more  fully  man.  Each 
aims  to  realize  the  ideals  of  the  kingdom,  to  translate 
them  into  human  lives  and  fulfill  them  in  human  rela- 


108      THE  80CUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITY 


tkm;  each  is  a  medinm  and  means  through  whiohnum 
seeks  the  kingdom  of  God  and  promotes  the  progress 
of  the  world.  The  family,  the  Church  and  the  state— 
these  are  the  three  great  institutions  in  which  the  life 
of  man  incarnates  itself;  they  a^e  the  institati«»i8  in 
which  life  completes  and  perfects  itself ;  they  are  the 
agencies  and  media  through  which  the  life  of  the  king- 
dom aotn&^izes  itself  in  the  world;  they  are  thus  at 
<»ioe  the  result  and  record  of  the  Idi^om's  power  and 
the  causes  and  condition  of  the  kingdom's  advance. 

1.  The  moment  we  consider  carefully  this  item  in 
our  program  we  see  that  it  has  two  sides.  It  implies 
the  Ohri8tianiwti<m  of  these  three  great  institutions; 
and  it  demands  also  their  consoioitt  enlistment  in  the 
work  of  social  progress.  Here  is  one  of  the  most  fruit- 
ful fields  open  before  the  modem  student ;  and  it  is 
hoped  that  some  one  may  enter  this  field  and  may  ex- 
pk»e  its  riches.  This  work  we  can  obnply  suggest  in 
this  place. 

The  family,  the  oldest  institution  known  to  man,  is 
in  some  respects  the  most  important.  It  is  through  the 
family  that  man  b^;ins  to  be ;  it  is  in  the  family  tibat  he 
learns  the  meaning  of  fdlowsliip ;  it  is  in  the  family  that 
his  will  is  disciplined  and  his  life  is  determined ;  and  it 
is  in  the  lamily  that  he  is  fitted  and  prepared  for  life 
in  the  wider  social  fellowship.  The  family  is  the  link 
that  Undf  the  generations  together,  and  it  is  the  rela- 
tionship that  determines  irrevocably  a  hundred  qnee- 
tions  in  every  man's  life.  It  is  in  the  home,  which 
Mazzini  in  poetic  phrase  terms  the  Heart's  Fatherland, 
that  the  race  is  made  and  the  future  decided.  No- 
where does  the  element  of  necessity  press  daser  than 
in  the  family ;  and  nowhere  is  man  fafliwiMwd  lo  po* 


THE  PB06RAK  OF  SOCIAL  SALYATIOH  109 


Icntfyforwealor  woe.  A  man  makes  no  dioloe  of  hit 

home  relations,  and  yet  upon  these  ties,  which  no  hu- 
man skill  can  unlock,  depend  nine-tenths  of  his  happi- 
IMM  or  his  misery.  That  the  kingdom  of  God  may 
oome  in  the  earth  it  is  neoessaiy  that  the  home  of 
the  world  he  transformed ;  before  this  world  can  be- 
come the  kingdtm  of  God  the  family  life  miHt  be 
Christianized. 

The  family  is  <»ie  of  the  most  potent  agendes  in  the 
making  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  iatelUgcot  use  of  this 
agency  is  perhaps  the  most  important  work  before  the 
world  to-day.   Heredity  and  environment  are  two  of 
the  mightiest  forces  in  the  shaping  of  every  life ;  and 
these  two  fovoes  ncak  most  potently  hi  and  through 
the  home.  Thus  far  however  we  have  given  veiy  little 
attention  to  these  forces ;  ;hus  far  the  family  has  not 
been  oonsdously  enlisted  in  the  work  of  race-making. 
The  world  has  devdoped  a  science  of  stock-breeding 
and  men  know  how  to  rear  a  thoroughbred  horse. 
But  thus  far  we  have  given  little  at  no  atteotioii  to  the 
science  of  man-making,  and  as  a  consequence  we  do  not 
know  what  to  do  in  order  to  breed  a  race  of  thorough- 
fared  hnman  beings.  The  time  is  coming  when  we 
must  deal  with  all  the  faihwpoes  that  improve  the  in* 
bom  qualities  of  the  race ;  and  then  we  must  seek  to 
develop  these  influences  to  the  utmost.   Suppose  this 
fsotor  oj!  heredity  could  be  better  understood  by  the 
xank  and  file  of  people;  suppose  it  eoald  thm  be 
brought  under  the  dhrection  of  mtelligenoe  and  con- 
science ;  suppose  it  could  be  consciously  enlisted  in  the 
work  of  race-making ;  in  that  case  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  would  be  hastmed  by  leaps  and 
bomcbk 


110      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 


The  Charoh,  the  oommnnity  of  the  Sf^t,  ia  also  one 
of  the  important  agencies  in  the  making  of  the  king- 
dom. It  is  not  necessary  here  to  define  in  detail  the 
natare,  the  province,  or  the  wotk  of  the  Church,  for 
thk  would  carry  us  too  far  afield;  we  may  note  only 
one  or  two  things  with  reference  to  the  Church  and  its 
function.  The  Church  which  has  been  called  ''The 
Social  Bevelation  of  the  Holy  Spirit "  is  the  community 
of  believen  in  whom  Christ^  Spirit  dweUi.  It  is  a 
Gkxl-inhabited  society  organized  for  the  promotion  of 
holiness  of  life  in  its  members  and  for  witnessing  for 
the  truth  of  the  kingdom  among  men.  It  is  a  society 
in  which  the  life  of  the  kingdom  incarnates  itself,  and 
it  pvovktoe  a  field  an  whMh  ^vine  rig^teomieM  may 
be  manifested  and  trained.  It  is  a  company  of  workers 
banded  together  to  make  known  the  Good  News  of  the 
kingdom  and  seeking  in  all  ways  to  uplift  and  purify 
Uw  whde  life  <tf  man.  The  ideals  of  the  kingdom  seek 
incarnation  in  Kmie  organized  society,  and  ^  Cflnvoli 
exists  that  it  may  wituess  for  these  ideals  and  may  be 
the  means  of  their  realization  in  the  world.  In  the 
Church — if  anywhere — ^the  life  and  truth  of  the  king, 
dom  should  prevail,  and  through  the  Church  men 
should  learn  the  will  of  God. 

The  Church  no  less  than  the  family  is  a  potent 
agency  in  the  redemption  of  man  and  the  transforma- 
tion of  society.  For  the  Church  is  here  to  witness  to 
men  of  the  grace  of  God  and  to  insnire  men  to  nek  the 
highest  goods.  The  Church  which  teaches  men  to 
pray  in  terms  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God  is  called  to 
witness  for  the  truths  of  Divine  Fatherhood  in  face  of 
the  rivalries  and  antagonisms  of  men  and  to  be  the 
abiding  pledge  of  the  realisation  of  human  brotherhood 


THB  PBOOIUM  Of  800IAI.  tALTATIOV  111 

throughout  the  worid.  Tb»  COumli  whMi  nhiiMiM 
the  hope  of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  be  in  tvtiy  age 
the  herald  of  that  kingdom,  and  "the  organ  of  the 
oontinnons  unfolding  of  the  treaaurea  of  spiritual  wis- 
dom.*** TiwgrBiitMiMiioftlMOhQrohisinatrnotion, 
inspiration,  moral  disoipliae  ud  lyfritwal  nartoM ;  wd 
so  the  Church  works  by  persuasion  and  not  by  foroe ; 
it  seeks  to  quicken  the  affections,  to  enlighten  the  con- 
■ofaDoe,  to  purify  the  insight  and  to  arouse  the  will 
The  Ohureh  by  ita  ndiditriea,  ita  ■arriofla,  ite  ocdinaiioaa^ 
and  its  fellowship  seeks  to  introduce  God  to  the  human 
mind  and  to  expose  man's  will  to  the  energizing  of  the 
Infinite  Will  The  Church  also  seeks  to  adjust  and 
rig^ten  the  nUatiom  of  men  with  men  in  aooordanoe 
with  the  will  of  God ;  it  polnta  oat  to  man  tha  dfrae- 
tion  of  true  progrew ;  it  seeks  to  sweeten  and  transform 
all  life  and  to  infuse  the  Spirit  of  Christ  into  efforts 
for  man'a  aooial  betterment  Not  in  any  formal  and 
mechanical  way  do  we  ooneeivo  of  the  work  of  the 

Church;  but  in  itapotanqr for  the  kingdom iHaaaooad 

to  no  other  agency. 

B^rond  the  family  and  the  Church  is  the  state^  the 
iMtftnte  of  rights,  and  this  like  the  family  and  the 
Church  is  involxad  in  the  vary  oonatitntkm  of  nnn  and 
is  a  divine  agency  m  the  redemption  of  the  world. 
The  state,  like  the  family  and  the  Church,  must  be 
redeemed  and  transformed,  that  thus  it  may  become 
an  inatromcnt  in  the  aatahUahment  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  the  earth.  The  state,  the  meant  whankj 
rights  are  conserved  and  life  protected,  is  wrought  into 
the  very  constitution  of  man;  the  stateless  man,  as 
Ariatotle  long  ago  showed,  is  either  above  or  below  the 


113      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 


human  stage.'  It  ia  an  ordinance  of  God  for  the  ea* 
tabliahment  of  justice  and  is  a  medium  through  which 
B»  deolarai  and  laidaei  anthority  oyer  men.  Ths 
ttate  is  the  cnif eadon  of  our  panonal  ineompletenaw 

and  is  the  divine  provision  for  meeting  this  need. 
"  There  is  no  power  but  of  God ;  the  powers  that  be 
are  ordained  of  Gk)d."'  (jk>vemments  are  instituted 
•moog  men  that  they  may  express  and  eataUUi  th* 
righteousness  of  the  khigdom ;  in  the  words  of  a  notabto 
document,  the  state  exists  to  establish  justice,  insure 
domestic  tranquillity,  provide  fo.  the  common  defense, 
pranote  the  general  welfare,  and  secure  the  blessings 
of  liberty  to  mon.*'  In  the  great  words  of  Looks: 
**  The  end  of  goyemment  is  the  welfue  of  mankind." 

2.  The  state  is  thus  a  potent  agency  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  th(3  kingdom  of  God  in  the  earth.  For 
this  reason  the  state  should  be  about  the  King's  busi- 
mm  and  should  sedc  the  kingdom's  enda.  Forthii 
reason  men  should  understand  the  meaning  and  func- 
tions of  the  state,  and  should  then  intelligently  enlist 
this  agency  in  the  w  k  of  social  progress.  Politics  at 
bottom  is  the  scienoe  of  Bodal  -wtSSLn  and  it  hasat 
heart  the  creation  of  a  social  order  in  which  the  great 
ideals  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  realized.  As  members 
of  the  kingdom  the  citizens  of  an  earthly  state  must 
ttideavcmr  to  have  enacted  and  executed  just  laws,  laws 
which  shall  make  for  social  peace  and  mond  better- 
ment, laws  which  shall  be  a  transcript  of  the  Adamant 
Tables,  laws  which  shall  declare  and  maintain  among 
men  the  righteousness  and  equity  of  the  kingdom,  laws 
which  shall  expreas  in  dvil  life  the  wrath  <rf  God 
against  evil  and  shall  train  men  hi  tlM  prootioe  of  so- 

*"FMItiMb»BoakI.Oh^II.  •  Bo^  stU.  l-lSi 


THE  PROOIIAM  OF  SOCIAL  AALVATIOir  US 

olal  justice.  Every  man  who  believes  in  tht  Uagdom 
of  God  and  has  a  vision  of  the  divine  meaning  of  tlie 
«%te,  is  to  go  out  Into  the  world  and  seek  in  all  ways 
open  to  him  the  •dTaaoniMit  of  the  race  and  the  bet- 
termtnt  of  social  oooditionsL  H«  fa  to  strive  by  all 
ways  open  to  him  as  a  man  and  as  a  citizen  to  mako 
the  wiU  of  God  prevaU  in  the  social  and  civil,  the  na- 
VomX  and  international  rektions  of  men ;  in  fine,  he  is 
oaUed  to  Md  a  soda!  state  that  shaU  be  the  human 
walization  of  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom. 

The  importance  of  these  three  institntioiis  in  the 
economy  of  life  and  the  progress  of  society  cannot 
be  OTorastimated.   Thus  far,  however,  in  the 
history  of  the  raoe  the  meaning  of  these  instttntians 
has  been  but  dimly  perceived;  and  so  these  inst'tutioDt 
have  done  their  work  in  a  more  or  less  unconscious  and 
haphazard  way.  No  one  will  pretend  that  men  gen- 
vSfy  baw  yet  attained  to  a  fall  consciousness  of  the 
iManing  and  mission  of  these  institntions,  and  no  one 
Jill  olami  that  they  have  done  more  than  a  fraction  of 
their  work  in  behalf  of  social  advance.    But  more  and 
mow  men  an  eoming  to  see  tiiat  these  great  institu- 
tioBshave  a  divine  slgnifioanoe  and  that  they  are  here 
to  seek  divme  ends.   Some  time— it  may  he  decades 
henoe-men  will  see  the  meaning  of  these  institutions 
consciously  enlist  tiiem  in  the  work  of  social 
wdanptkm.   Some  time-we  may  hope  it  may  not  be 
generations  hence— tiiese  divine  institatibns  will  dis- 
cern their  divine  mission  in  tiie  worid  and  will  con- 
sdously  seek  the  kingdom  of  God. 

*-?  V  ^  us  face  to  face  with  a  most  vital 

truth:  That  in  and  throug^i  the CLuroh  alone  society 
owi  never  be  saved  and  the  kingdom  of  God  can  nevw 


114      THS  BOCUL  TASK  Of  CHBUTUKITX 


bt  tfteblished.  The  OhiiNli  it  if  faUj  oonoeded  it » 
dirine  inititntion,  with  a  great  and  neoewary  (onctioii 
to  fulfill  in  the  economy  of  life.  But  the  Church  after 
•U  ii  only  out  of  w&wml  divine  imtitntiona,  all  of  which 
are  vital  and  neoenary  to  man'ki  monl  Hie  and  wdal 
perfection.  In  all  times  there  has  been  a  tendency  to 
narrow  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  to  the  conception  of 
the  Church  and  to  make  the  two  coterminous.  It  ^ 
not  possible  hare  to  consider  theee  two  conceptions  in 
detail  or  to  trace  out  the  causes  leading  to  tlM  otrntim- 
ing  of  the  two  terms  and  the  substitution  of  the  latter 
for  the  former.  But  it  may  be  said  that  the  confound- 
ing <tf  the  Ohnxoh  and  the  kingdom  has  been  one  of 
the  most  serious  and  fatal  errors  of  the  Chrktian  oen- 
turies ;  in  fact  it  Is  an  error  that  is  nothing  less  than  a 
dangerous  and  misleading  heresy.  It  is  a  heresy  in 
that  it  mispkcef  the  emphasis  of  Christ's  teaching 
firam  oentrri  things  to  other  "  things ;  and  it  has  been 
a  dangerous  heresy  in  that  it  hasbetloiided  the  pnrpoee 
of  God  and  has  caused  endless  confusion  in  the  world. 
The  kingdom  of  God  is  the  all-inclusive  term  that 
includes  the  person,  the  family,  the  Church  end  the 
•lata  The  Ohuvoh  is  a  realm  of  the  kingdom  in  which 
its  reign  is  realized,  an  agency  in  and  through  which 
the  kingdom  is  revealed  and  established.  But  the 
Church  is  not  the  kingdom;  it  never  has  been  and 
it  never  can  be ;  the  whole  is  ever  greater  than  any  of 
its  parts.  The  family  and  the  state  no  leas  than  the 
Church  are  realms  of  the  kingdom  and  agencies  throflgh 
which  it  is  revealed  and  realized.  Just  now,  we  are 
told,  we  need  a  more  vital  conception  of  the  Church 
and  a  new  valuation  of  its  taaaUxm.  But  we  need  no 
Ihi  a  COuM&yi  oonoeptkm  of  the  family  and  the  state 


TBM  momUM  Of  tOOIAL  lALTATlOir  116 

Mid  a  CbriiUan  valuation  of  their  funotioni  in  tht 
kingdoai. 

It  ig  evident  from  the  very  nature  ot  tbe  oeet  thai 
in  and  through  the  Church  alone  Christian  people  can 
never  do  the  whole  work  of  the  kingdom.  The  Church, 
by  the  weeoMitiei  of  the  om^  hat  its  special  oiganiza- 
tion,  its  fonotiont  §ad  methods.  The  woik  <rf  the 
Church  is  vital  and  essential  and  must  aevw  be  min* 
imized  in  one  iota.   But  the  Church  can  never  fulfill 
the  whole  program  of  Chxistianitj  and  do  the  whole 
traik  of  thtt  kingdom.  It  is  nsswitinl  that  Christian 
men  should  love  the  GSmnh  and  detole  themilTw  to 
its  work.   It  is  necessary  that  the  Church  have  all 
kinds  of  workers  such  as  prophets,  evangelists,  teachers 
and  interpreters.  But  it  is  essential  no  less  that  men 
■hoold  henonr  the  lunilj  and  the  state  and  should  use 
these  as  means  through  which  they  may  seek  the  kin» 
dom  of  God.   It  is  necessary  that  these  institutions 
should  have  statesmen,  reformers,  leader  and  citizens. 
The  time  has  eone  for  Christian  men  t  understand 
the  divine  meaning  aad  aoeial  vafaM  ol^Mse  great  in- 
stitutions,  and  then  consciously  and  collectively  use 
ttem  in  behalf  of  race  progress  and  social  redemption. 
Rfobably  nine-tenths  of  the  people  who  regard  the 
Chraoh  as  a  dMne  aad  saond  institution  regard  ih» 
family  and  tht    ^  as  seenlar  and  oommon  fastitii- 
tions.    Doing    ^ligious  work  has  meant  attending 
church,  taking  part  in  ita  services,  and  working  out  its 
policies.   Doing  the  work  of  citizens,  attacking  social 

evils  and  seeking  better  dvio  eonditions  has  nsnaUy  been 
regarded  as  secular  and  non-religions  work.  For  many 
long  generations  men  have  regwded  the  Church  as  the 
realm  of  religion  and  have  regarded  religicm  as  the 


116      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


peonliar  interest  of  the  Church.  ThUi  oonoeptkm  is 

passing  and  it  must  pass.  Just  now  many  earnest 
churchmen  are  in  confusion  and  alarm  over  the  lessen- 
ing hold  of  the  Church  over  the  lives  of  men.  No 
doabt  about  it  the  Church  has  lost  a  certain  meemue  of 
supremacy  and  centrality  in  the  past  generation  or 
two ;  it  is  not  likely  that  it  will  ever  again  be  regarded 
aa  the  exclusive  realm  of  religion ;  it  is  quite  certain 
that  never  again  will  Christian  men  regard  religion  as 
the  exclusive  interest  of  the  ChnidL  The  &ot  i^iA  the 
Church  has  lost  a  certain  measure  of  supremacy  in  the 
thought  and  life  of  men  is  sometimes  interpreted  to 
mean  that  men  are  less  religious  than  formerly ;  it  may 
meaa  and  we  bdieve  it  does  mean  that  men  are  gain- 
ing a  truer  conception  of  the  kingdom  and  are  begin- 
ning to  realize  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  the  interest 
of  the  family  and  the  state  no  less  than  of  the  Church. 
The  time  has  come  for  men  to  recognize  the  sacredness 
of  all  woric  fat  men  and  to  know  that  in  and  throng^ 
the  family  and  the  state  no  less  thao  through  the 
Church  they  are  to  seek  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  frank  recognition  of  this  truth  will  save  men 
from  much  o(»ifnsion  both  from  the  side  of  the  Chnrah 
and  from  the  side  of  society.  Just  now  there  are  maiqr 
people  both  within  and  without  the  churches  who  are 
laying  great  stress  upon  what  they  call  the  social  mis- 
sion of  the  Church  and  are  demanding  that  the  Church 
IntMdai  its  program  and  indnde  this  work  of  sodal 
salvation.  There  is  reason  in  this  demand,  as  this  whole 
study  seeks  to  show,  but  it  is  important  that  this  de- 
mand be  carefully  considered.  By  all  means  let  the 
Ohorah  broaden  its  horizon,  widen  its  program  and 
woilc  i<a  the  whole  life  <tf  man.  Bat  Irt  ns  fnnkly 


TUX  PBOGBAM  OF  SOCUL  SALVATION  117 


fnoe  the  fact  that  the  Church  has  no  fonctioii  to  do 
this  work  of  ■odal  salvatkm;  at  any  rate  it  it  no  more 
the  fanotion  of  the  Churdi  than  at  the  other  institii- 
tions  of  man's  life.  For  as  we  have  seen  the  Church  is 
not  the  special  institution  of  religion,  and  religion  is 
not  the  special  interest  of  the  Church.  The  Church  is 
an  institution  of  religicm,  a  Tital  faotOT  in  man's  learoh 
for  the  kingdom,  a  necessary  agency  in  the  work  of  so- 
cial salvation;  but  the  family  and  the  state  are  de- 
signed no  less  to  share  in  this  same  search  and  to  pro- 
mote thk  dirine  end.  The  stete  and  the  family  no  less 
than  the  Church  are  realms  in  whidi  the  reign  ot  thft 
kingdom  is  realized ;  no  one  institution  more  than  an* 
other  is  the  peculiar  institute  of  religion,  nor  is  religion 
the  special  interest  of  the  one  more  than  of  the  others. 
One  of  the  most  important  things  before  the  Ohrktian 
world  at  this  time  is  the  clear  conception  of  the  divine 
meaning  of  these  great  institutions  of  man's  life  and 
the  full  apprehension  of  the  fact  that  in  and  through 
these  three  ageneies  they  are  to  seek  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  the  salvatkm  of  human  iooMy. 

These  three  great  institntbns  all  have  a  vital  func- 
tion to  fulfill  in  the  economy  of  human  life.  Each  is 
an  agency  through  which  man  realizes  the  purpose  of 
God  in  the  worid;  and  through  each  the  life  of  God  is 
getting  itself  rehom  into  the  of  hnmanity.  They 
all  seek  the  same  end,  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the 
welfare  of  man ;  but  each  has  its  own  function  and 
method.  The  Church  is  the  institute  of  &ith  and 
hope;  its  special  fonotkm  is  to  testify  of  God  and  of 
His  kingdom ;  to  hold  up  the  ChriitiBn  ideal  in  the  dght 
of  all  men,  to  inform  the  mind,  to  arouse  the  conaoieooe 
of  the  people,  to  hearten  them  for  oourageoas  living 


118      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 


and  then  to  send  them  forth  thus  taught,  inspired 
and  impelled,  to  hunger  after  justice,  to  seek  the 
kingdom  and  its  righteousness  and  to  build  on  earth  a 
Ohriitlaii  sooial  caedm.  The  family  is  fhe  inatitate  of 
love  and  trust ;  its  special  function  is  to  mould  the  life 
for  the  kingdom,  to  be  a  school  of  social  living,  to  train 
the  growing  life  in  the  practice  of  self-sacrifice  and 
mntnal  aid,  and  then  to  said  forth  its  members  to  seek 
through  the  family  the  perf eotion  of  the  nwe  and  to 
serve  as  good  citizens  in  the  civil  state.  The  state  is 
the  institute  of  rights  and  duties ;  its  special  function 
is  to  maintain  justice  in  human  relations,  to  sedc  after 
righteoomoM  in  society,  to  provide  the  ocmditicms  for  a 
human,  moral  and  spiritual  life,  to  embody  in  iti  otdw 
the  abiding  principles  of  the  kingdom,  righteousness 
and  peace  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  then  to  send  forth 
iti  citizens  to  hallow  God's  name,  to  seek  His  king- 
dcmi  and  to  do  His  will  in  all  the  masterfnl  iutitiitioiis 
of  their  social  and  political  life.  And  this  bringi  nt 
to  the  last  item  in  the  pregnun  which  we  shall  naim: 

V.  The  Coirsoioirs  Efpobt  to  Build  a  Christiav 
Social  Obdxb 

At  this  point  we  must  pause  a  moment  to  note 
several  objections  that  are  brought  against  this  whole 
conception  of  things.  Against  this  background  of  ob* 
jections  we  diall  tee  the  tmth  in  mndi  dlearar  oatUnei. 

1.  It  is  said  by  many  people  that  Christiaiiity^  ii  a 
spuritual  religion,  and  being  sucli  it  has  nothing  to  do 
with  economic  systems  and  political  programs.  Again, 
it  k  said  by  othnrs  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to  give  men 
•temal  life,  and  this  is  a  purely  subjective  and  personal 
thing  and  cannot  be  limited  by  the  tom»  of  tin*  and 


THE  PBOGRAM  OV  SOCIAL  BALVATIOH  119 


plMft  Stfll  otlun  My  thai  the  Idagdom  of  God  k  % 

personal  and  inward  reality,  for  does  not  Christ  say 
that  "  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  "  ?  And  still 
others  declare  that  Christ  is  here  to  save  men  from  sin, 
to  wia  thflm  onto  God  and  to  build  them  op  in  Chxirt* 
likeaeiB,  and  so  Christianity  has  no  vocation  for  the  im- 
provement of  social  conditions.  It  is  needless  here  to 
attempt  to  consider  these  objections  in  detail,  for  that 
wmild  earry  ns  too  &r  afield.  And  after  all  it  is  un- 
neoessary  for  our  porpose  after  what  has  been  said  in 
an  earlier  chapter  on  the  kingdom  of  God. 

There  is,  however,  one  thing  that  wo  may  consider, 
for  it  is  germane  to  our  subject  and  it  tonohes  the  very 
heart  of  the  qneetion.  Gnmted  that  Ohristiaiiity  is 
here  to  turn  men  from  sin  and  to  win  them  mito 
Christ ;  granted  also  that  Christ  has  come  to  give  men 
life,  even  the  eternal  life ;  granted  that  the  kingdom  of 
Ck>d  does  begin  within  men ;  and  granted  further  that 
the  diviiM  life  oan  never  be  folly  revealed  in  tiie  tenia 
and  forms  of  the  human  and  temporal  Yet  we  cannot 
suppress  the  natural  questions:  Wla^  shall  these  men 
do  after  they  are  Inrought  to  Christ  and  receive  of  His 
Spirit  ?  How  shall  this  new  life  manifest  its  essential 
quality  and  in  what  fotae  wffl  it  ineamate  ttmttf 
What  are  these  men  of  consecrated  will  to  set  before 
themselves  as  their  life-work  here  below?  A  little 
dear  thinking  at  this  point  will  save  ns  frcna  endlaw 
oonfarioiL 

In  aU  tinie%  aa  every  one  knows,  then  baa  beea  a 

disposition  on  the  part  of  many  Christians  to  regard 
salvation  as  an  end  in  itself.  To  have  men  converted 
and  filled  with  the  Spirit  has  been  accepted  as  the  goal 
of  pnyar  and  effort,  Bat  aa  a  matter  ol  ImI  tU  tya 


120      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

is  simply  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  life  and  only  a 
means  to  an  end.   The  ultimate  Gospel  is  not  indi- 
▼idnal  but  social.   Men  are  saved  that  they  may  become 
dtizens  of  the  kingdom.  They  are  r^nerated  that 
they  may  become  living  stones  in  the  walls  of  the 
Holy  City.   But  not  realizing  this,  many  Christians 
have  narrowed  the  horizon  of  their  interest  and  have 
addressed  themselves  to  the  ipbuilding  of  their  own 
spiritual  life.   They  have  lived  in  these  dties  of  earth, 
80  full  of  iniquity  and  misery  and  corruption  on  every 
hand,  with  open  saloons,  houses  of  infamy  and  city 
slums  at  every  turn,  and  all  the  time  have  neglected 
their  dvic  duty,  have  allowed  the  most  notorious  evils 
to  riot  unrebuked  and  been  oonUiat  to  dream  of  a  dty 
in  the  skies  where  these  things  are  all  unknown.  They 
have  been  in  the  world  as  salt,  but  somehow  the  salt 
has  not  sweetened  things  and  saved  the  city  from  cor- 
rnption.  They  have  possessed  the  life  and  leaven  of 
the  kingdom,  but  for  some  reason  it  has  not  penneated 
and  leavened  the  mass  of  dough.   In  all  times,  it  must 
be  said,  there  have  been  some  far-seeing  souls  who 
have  onderstood  the  real  meaning  of  Christianity  and 
have  earnestly  sought  to  build  on  earth  a  righteous 
social  order.    Savonarola  at  Florence  had  the  true 
vision  of  the  kingdom  and  faithfully  sought  to  make 
Jesus  Christ  King  of  the  city.   John  Calvin  at  Geneva 
saw  dearly  that  men  were  chosen  in  Christ  that  they 
might  be.  good  citizens  in  the  new  oomnumwealth,  and 
so  he  sought  to  build  up  out  of  these  men  a  Christian 
society.   The  moment  we  get  the  fog  out  of  our  minds, 
give  ovw  the  use  of  pious  platitudes  and  holy  ambigui- 
ties about  the  spiritual  life  and  begin  to  see  things  as 
they  are  and  to  use  the  language  of  leality,  that  okk 


THE  PB06BAM  OF  SOCIAL  SALVATIOir  121 

meiit  we  im  that  thew  men  with  the  mind  of  Chriil 
and  the  power  of  the  Spirit  are  to  join  with  Ohrfat  in 

seeking  God's  kingdom ;  these  men  who  know  the  will 
of  God  are  to  seek  to  make  that  will  prevail  here  on 
earth  even  as  in  heaven;  these  men  who  have  the 
vision  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  who  believe  in  the  EoLj 
City  and  hence  know  what  a  city  should  be,  are  to  go 
out  into  the  city  where  they  live  and  build  a  city  after 
the  divine  pattern.  That  is,  these  men  who  believe  in 
the  kingdom  of  God  are  to  build  aa  earth  a  social  order 
that  shall  be  the  realization  under  the  fmrm  of  time 
and  place  of  the  divine  ideal  Several  things  are  im- 
plied in  this  which  we  can  simply  suggest  bat  ^""^ 
discnas  in  detail 

S.  This  demands  the  ad jnstment  and  rj^teoing  of 
the  relations  of  men's  life  in  justice  and  love.   life  aft 
bottom  is  a  matter  of  relations.   Righteous  life  is  life 
in  right  relations,  and  wrong  life  is  a  matter  of  wrong 
relations.  By  the  nature  of  the  case  all  the  reUtions 
of  man's  life  entir  into  the  aoeoant,  and  no  lifb  can 
be  fully  righteous  till  all  of  its  rehitions  are  rightened. 
The  nian  who  would  be  righteous  must  be  in  right 
rektions  with  God ;  but  no  less  he  most  be  in  right 
nlatioas  wi  A  his  feUows.  Hnman  life  is  all  one  piece, 
and  no  man  can  be  in  wrong  relations  with  hk  Mlowa 
and  in  right  relations  with  God.   On  the  one  side,  the 
man  who  finds  himself  in  fellowship  with  God  finds 
himself  in  fdlowship  with  men.   The  Christ  claims 
kinship  with  aU  mn ;  and  these  rebtions  whieh  the 
Son  of  Man  sustains  to  the  sons  of  men  are  not  rek- 
tions which  He  can  put  on  or  oflF  at  will ;  they  are  in 
fact  part  and  parcel  of  the  essential  nature  of  the  Son 
ci  Ibn  aod  the  sms  of  men.  Hence  the  man  who 


lis      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITY 

would  be  like  Ciiiist  must  like  Christ  enter  into  right 
relations  with  his  fellows ;  the  very  nature  of  Christ- 
likeneM  implies  and  involves  Christlike  relations  with 
Christ's  brothers.   On  the  other  side  the  man  who  would 
be  man  in  all  the  meaning  of  the  term  finds  that  he 
can  realize  this  end  only  in  and  through  his  relation- 
ships with  others  of  his  kind.   That  man  may  be  him- 
self, that  he  may  realize  his  true  being,  his  thought 
and  his  neighbour's  thought  must  meet  and  overflow  ; 
his  will  must  blend  and  interknit  with  their  wills; 
through  a  mutual  exchange  of  services  their  lives  must 
interUend  in  some  common  social  life ;  in  fine  man 
can  become  man  in  the  action  and  reaotio!*  of  life  upon 
life  in  social  relations.   Human  relations  are  the  fun- 
damental and  sacred  things  in  the  world ;  the  rectifica- 
tkm  and  adjustment  of  these  relations  in  righteousness 
•ad  love  is  a  lai^  purt  of  the  work  of  Christ  for  men. 
By  the  nature  of  the  case  this  mcludes  all  of  the  retar 
tions  of  man's  being  in  all  the  reahns  of  his  life,  his 
family  and  church  relations,  but  no  less  his  social  and 
inAwtrial  xehttioiis  as  well ;  in  fact  the  adjustment  and 
rectification  at  theie  rehitions  in  all  provinces  of  his 
life  is  a  krge  part  of  the  program  of  the  kingdom. 
The  kingdom  of  God  comes  as  fast  and  as  far  as  these 
nktions  are  thus  adjusted  and  rightened ;  indeed  the 
■djwtment  and  reotifioation  of  these  relatio:  ^  .  Jie 
coming  of  the  kingdom  among  men. 

3.  This  demands  also  the  collective  and  continuous 
search  after  justice.  This  is  one  of  the  central  and 
positive  items  in  the  Christian  progr  <m,  and  it  should 
be  primary  and  fandamental  in  all  Christian  effort 
At  first  thought,  this  item  may  seem  commonplace 
enongh,  and  we  shall  probably  be  met  with  the  objeo- 


THE  PBOORAlf  OF  SOCIAL  SALYATIOV  1S8 

tkm  that  this  hat  alwaji  bwn  the  fifforkof  CMtiMi 

men.  But  the  moment  we  consider  this  item  in  aU 
that  it  implies,  we  see  how  novel  and  revolationary  it 
k  The  fin*  thing  for  the  men  of  good  will  to  do  in 
their  wdring  of  the  kingdom  ii  to  maintiiB  a  ooIIflot> 
ive  and  continuous  search  after  justice. 

What  then  is  justice  ?  It  must  be  confessed  that 
the  word  to  many  people  has  a  very  vague  and  indefi- 
nite meaning.  It  is  needless  here  to  give  the  defini- 
tions of  the  word,  tar  we  mn  deding  witii  leeUtiei 
rather  than  with  terms.  But  justice  in  brief  signifies 
Tightness,  equity,  fairness,  square^ealing ;  to  be  just 
ii  to  hold  the  balances  even,  to  ask  no  more  than  one's 
fsir  share,  to  give  to  each  his  due,  to  treat  others  as 
one  wants  ethers  to  treat  him.  And  justice^  it  is  evi- 
dent, is  both  an  ideal  and  a  practice ;  it  is  not  enough 
for  one  to  talk  of  justice  with  his  lips  and  to  love 
fmtiee  hi  his  heart;  bat  he  must  seek  also  to  practioe 
that  justice  in  all  his  dealings  with  nun  to  eatabltth 
justice  in  all  the  realms  and  relations  of  his  Ufe.  And 
hence  justice  is  both  a  personal  and  a  social  law ;  that 
is,  there  is  a  just  and  righteous  manner  of  life  for  the 
panm,  and  fheve  is  a  just  and  righteous  oonstitatioii 
for  society,  and  the  law  of  justice  is  the  life  of  oao  as 
of  the  other.  To  seek  after  justice  means  the  effort 
to  establish  justice  as  the  supreme  ideal  and  the  daily 
pnetk)e  of  all  men  in  all  the  relations  of  theur  lives.' 

That  this  may  be  done  two  things  are  required. 
First,  the  Ohurch  must  instruct  the  mind  and  train  the 
conscience  and  energize  the  will  in  the  thought  and 
practice  and  love  of  justice.  The  Church  we  are  ready 
to  beliaffe  is  hsn  to  intnwt  man  in  the  way  of  truth 


124      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHBISTIAinTT 

and  to  make  them  know  what  is  the  good  and  moont^ 

able  and  perfect  wUl  of  God.  No  other  agencyaSd 
teatitution  has  either  the  caU  or  the  machinwy  for  liie 
ftafillment  of  this  twk;  and  the  Church  has  both  the 
obligation  and  the  meant.  To  do  this  work  the  Church 
must  know  the  law  of  God  and  must  apply  it  to  the 
Me  of  naen ;  it  must  make  men  know  what  is  the  just 

"?  ^  ''''^         ^  church  relations  but 

m  industrial  praotioe ;  it  must  inform  the  mind  and  stir 
the  conscience  that  men  may  be  quick  to  discern  be- 
tween  the  just  and  the  unjust;  it  must  be  a  kind  of 
inoaraate  Sinai  speaking  to  men  for  God  and  making 
men  know  the  meaning  of  His  law ;  it  must  so  interpret 
the  divme  law  that  Uie  word  may  be  quick  and  power- 
ful  shaijer  than  the  two^ged  sword,  pierdnTeveii 
to  the  dividing  asunder  of  the  soul  and  marrow  and 
dfflcermng  even  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart 
One  must  not  bring  any  railing  accusation  against  the 
churches  but  it  must  be  confessed  that  thTchnrchee 
have  faJed  more  signally  at  this  point  than  at  any 

L  ^  ^''^  ««rio«s  charges  that 

am  be  brought  against  the  churches  of  the  past  and  in 
the  pre^nt  ?  Is  it  not  this  that  they  lack  the  divine 
passion  for  justice  ?  mo 

Is  it  not  this  that  many  of  the  men  most  conspicucui 
to  themjustice  of  their  social  and  political  and  industrial 
lifeareyetthehonoared<tftoialsof  the  churches?  Inthe 
cities  and^states  of  the  modem  worid~«nd  that  where 

the  churches  are  most  numerous-the  most  high-handed 
miqmty  m  |K)litical  and  industrial  life  walks  unrebuked 

JSSt^^  ^  ''^T^''  symigogues  men 
gudty  of  the  most  open  and  omel  injustice  in  economic 

afltoe  and  the  moit  gro«  and  Wtter  oppwMiatt  of  their 


THB  FBOOEAM  OF  800UL  aALTATIOV  lU 


woridng  people,  lit  mnoatlied  In  oonioieiioe  and  un- 
troubled in  heart  For  two  genentiam  and  mot«  the 
oonacience  of  Great  Britain,  the  real  active,  militant 
oonaoienoe,  has  been  agnostic  and  dissenter.   For  a 
Inmdred  yean  there  has  not  been  a  bishop  of  the  Eng- 
lish Church  who  has  jeopaidiiad  his  **ooaoh  and  fonr** 
by  fearless  and  outspoken  protest  against  national  in- 
iquity.  And  in  America  it  is  not  much  better.   It  is 
true  that  there  are  noble  and  notable  exceptions  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  bat  these  are  individual  ex- 
ceptions and  prove  the  point.  The  ohnrahei  themselves 
as  churches  have  not  known  any  divine  and  flainhg 
passion  for  justice ;  they  have  not  maintained  a  con- 
tianoiui  and  collective  demand  for  justice ;  they  have 
too  often  been  sOent  when  great  wrongs  hfVB  been 
done  in  the  name  of  business  and  politics.   They  hsfe 
been  bold  enough,  to  be  sure,  in  the  denunciation  of  un- 
popular sins,  such  as  drunkenness  and  the  social  evil,  but 
they  hare  been  hesitating  where  they  have  not  been  si- 
knt,  in  presence  of  the  most  colossal  political  wrongs  and 
the  most  notorious  industrial  injustice.   In  America,  in 
fact  the  leaders  of  the  churches  have  been  very  jealous 
for  the  good  name  of  the  Church  and  have  been  very 
anzioas  that  everything  should  be  done  decently  and 
in  order.   For  years  some  of  the  so-called  leaden  have 
gone  around  with  hand  over  the  heart,  with  heart  in  the 
mouth,  and  with  the  mouth  in  the  dust,  lest  some  in- 
discreet Inother  should  criticize  the  commen:ial  prac- 
tices and  political  methods  of  some  of  their  money 
gods.   A  generation  ago  Ruskin  declared  that  the  most 
ominous  sign  of  the  times  was  this  that  men  had  lost 
the  power  of  hot  and  holy  indignation,  and  the  indict- 
ment standi  today  in  Britain  and  in  America.  This 


186      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIAHITT 


aspect  of  their  calling  the  churches  need  to  reconsider 
part  of  the  Chriitiaa  prognun  Uuyiieed  to 

The  other  thing  whioh  the  ohnKlNinMl  do  is  this: 
They  must  arouse  and  inspire  men  to  go  forth  and 

make  justice  prevail  in  the  earth.   It  is  not  enough  to 
cherish  the  ideals  of  justice,  but  we  must  make  a  col- 
ketire  effort  to  lednoe  those  ideals  to  practice.  This 
means  that  the  men  instmoted  and  inspiml  hy  tho 
churches  axe  to  go  forth  to  testify  against  aU  injustios^ 
to  withstand  every  wrong  wherever  they  find  it,  to  ex- 
pose every  falsehood  without  fear  and  favour,  and  to 
•eek  to  eosnre  to  eadi  man  his  dna  This  means  that 
these  men  of  the  ohnrohes  are  to  make  a  ooUeetiTO 
effort  to  establish  justice  as  the  daUy  practice  of  the 
commercial  world  and  to  build  up  in  the  earth  a  just 
and  Ohristiaa  hidnstrial  order.   That  is,  they  must 
seek  to  secure  for  each  penon  the  oonditioni  of  a  fidr 
and  human  life  in  society ;  they  must  see  that  gains 
received  and  privUeges  enjoyed  bear  some  proportion 
to  service  rendered  and  oblations  f  uliiUed ;  they  must 
pot  thfifar  faith  and  oooadenoe  in  pledge  in  behaU  of  a 
iust  and  Christian  social  order;  and  they  must  strive 
together  to  establish  justice  as  the  supreme  law  and  the 
daily  practice  of  all  men  in  all  the  relations  of  their 
lives. 

This  search  after  justke  is  primary  and  fondamentaL 

It  18  vain  to  talk  of  a  Christian  civilization  or  to  expect 
a  Christian  society  without  justice  aU  along  the  line. 
In  saying  this  we  do  not  mean  that  justice  is  to  be  the 
only  object  of  men's  efforts,  but  we  must  insist  that  it 
is  primary  and  fundamental  No  society  oaa  be  mi 
wmotely  or  approximately  Christian  that  is  not  flirt 


THS  PBOOBAM  OF  SOCIAL  BALY AXIOM  ISt 

fairly  and  approximately  jnit  There  ii  a  imp  d'p^ 

oanoe  in  the  old  story  of  Melchizedeo  the  prieet  of  Ood 
and  the  king  of  Salem.  This  man,  whose  name  signifies 
the  King  of  Bighteonsness,  dwelt  in  the  city  called 
Salem  or  FMMNi  **  Being  by  interpretatkn  first,  King 
of  Righteousness,  and  after  that  abo  King  of  Salem."' 
Other  foundations  for  social  peace  and  political  prog- 
ress can  no  man  lay  than  hath  been  hud.  Men  may 
leek  to  appease  the  poor  and  to  help  the  disinherited 
by  oharitiei  and  benefutimu,  bat  no  pemaneBt  iola> 
tion  of  any  problem  can  be  found  in  this  way  and  ioel* 
ety  cannot  be  brought  one  inch  nearer  its  goal  The 
willingness  of  t  ien  to  make  liberal  deviations  for  libra- 
xiee  and  public  buildings  while  quite  unwilling  to  con- 
sider the  primary  matters  of  justice  and  equi^,  ii  the 
sign  of  a  decadent  civilization  and  a  sleeping  con- 
science. The  determina.  on  to  make  justice  the  supreme 
ideal  and  the  daily  practice  is  the  evidence  of  moral 
progress  and  Christian  life. 

4.  This  demands  the  conscious  and  collective 
effort  to  embody  our  essential  life  in  social  forms. 
Life  by  its  very  nature  is  oiganic  and  organiflo ;  that  is, 
it  ever  seeks  to  create  aroond  itself  a  body  in  which  it 
can  dwell  and  through  which  it  oaa  eajMem  iti 
essential  quality.  The  ideal  of  the  kingdom  is  a 
social  ideal,  and  so  it  demands  a  social  form  for  its 
realizatum.  life  in  all  its  lower  forms  may  be  m<ne 
or  less  iiiMx»nd<Nis  in  its  methods  and  praotioei ;  that 
is,  it  performs  its  functions  witiuynt  any  deliberate 
aim  and  conscious  effort.  In  man,  however,  life 
attams  to  self-consciousness,  and  man  is  able  to  set 
before  himaelf  a  definite  end  and  to  direct  the  proo- 

*fidt.Tii.a. 


188      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CIIRISTIAOTTT 

ewei  of  hii  life.  In  the  chUd  of  the  kingdom  this  life 
becomei  fully  ■elf-oonacioug,  and  now  man  is  able  to 
^pfNhtud  Godl  end  ud  to  cooperate  in  the  fulfill, 
ment  of  Hii  porpoM.  TJm  cli?iiie  Ufb  la  buhi  ^niwi 
have  its  perfect  work  till  it  stands  forth  embodied  in 
■ooial  forms  and  institutions  that  are  the  human  realiza- 
tion <rf  the  divine  ideal  Man  is  not  man  till  he  is 
•f*^  life  does  not  attain  its  end  till  it  is 
Vtpnmed  in  organic  forms. 

Thus  the  making  of  the  kingdom  mean?  much  mora 
than  the  making  of  good  individuals.   The  fact  is  there 
M  BO  nioh  thing  either  conceivable  or  possible  as  an 
individual  who  is  good  by  bimMlf  and  onto  himseU. 
Man  is  a  being  of  reUtionships,  and  right  life  it  life  in 
right  relations.   The  man  who  is  good  at  all  is  good  in 
the  relations  in  which  he  finds  himself ;  to  be  a  good 
MM  Biiwii  to  be  a  good  member  of  a  social  order.  Man 
isa  son,  brother,  father,  fHend,  Deig^boar,  employer, 
ItoAot,  citizen,  and  he  is  a  good  man  in  so  far  as  ue 
flhntrates  in  these  relations  his  essential  Ufe.   And  the 
*Mt  ii  also  that  if  every  person  in  the  world  should  be 
oonTirted  and  become  a  good  indivktnal  the  kingdom 
jrf  God  might  yet  be  far  away.   For  the  life  of  the 
kingdom  is  a  social  life ;  the  virtues  of  the  kingdom 
are  social  virtues ;  the  righteousness  of  the  kinguom  is 
a  matter  of  right  relations ;  the  perfection  of  the 
kingdom  is  a  perfection  realiied  in  and  throng  the 
perfection  of  society ;  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  will 
henoo  not  be  satisfied  till  we  have  men  associated  in 
just,  righteous,  fraternal,  and  loving  relations  with  one 
another.   To  realise  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom,  to  be- 
hold the  virtues  of  the  Christian  life^  we  mmt  have 
goodness  and  love  vxfnmed  in  human  fehtiowa^ 


THE  raOOlAX  Of  tOCUL  •ALTATKUT  IM 

iMimtoa  fa  toeUL  foRM,  Th*  kfa^dom  of  Ood  ii 

not  an  anarchy  of  good  iadhidnliL  Th*  M^ytan  of 

Christ  is  a  social  kingdom. 

This  is  a  truth  strangely  overlooked  by  many  who 
Mil  thflnielTet  Ohristiaos  and  seek  the  kingdom  of 
God.  This  is  the  ooiMliMkm  of  tho  matter,  that  nen 

are  called  to  put  forth  a  collective  and  conscious  eflfort 
to  associate  themselves  in  right  relati<»isandto«iiibody 
their  euential  life  in  social  forms. 

S.  This  oontemphitei  a  hnman  society  on  earth  in 
which  the  Spirit  of  Christ  can  find  a  homa  Befot* 
a  great  audience  a  speaker  declared  that  Jetns  of  Kas- 
areth  is  out  of  place  in  this  modem  world;  and 
th*  andknce  enthusiastically  appUtuded.  An  English 
Wshop  dedared  that  the  teachings  of  Jesos  are  imprac- 
ticable and  impossible  in  our  modem  complex  society; 
and  the  majority  of  men  assent  to  the  declaration.  All 
this  may  mean  one  of  three  things ;  it  may  mean  that 
J«fU  was  a  flnt  oentary  idealist,  a  sweet  dreamer  of 
dnam^  whoee  life  and  ter.ohing  have  some  sodal  valm, 
and  may  have  some  relation  now  to  certain  spheres  of 
life,  bat  whose  dreams  and  ideab  are  impossible  in  the 
praient  order  of  things  and  who  Himself  is  out  of  place 
in  tUs  modera  oomplez  civiliattion.  It  may  mean 
that  the  religion  of  Christ  has  little  or  no  ralation  to 
every-day  life ;  that  religion  is  one  thing— good  enough 
in  its  way  and  place  no  doubt— and  our  modem  social 
and  indnrtrial  Itfe  is  quite  another  thing— that  cannot 
be  ladkally  changed  at  prasent;  that  certain  great 
realms  of  life  must  be  conducted  with  little  rriation  to 
religion,  and  religion  must  be  limited  to  its  own  special 
iphere  ^  and  that  modem  society  has  hence  no  call  to 
haOd  »  eiWUntioa  upon  the  life  and  teaching  of  the 


130      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


Son  of  Man.  And  it  may  mean— in  fact  it  does  mean 
— that  Jesus  Christ  does  not  find  Himself  at  home  in 
our  modern  world  lor  the  very  fact  that  so  many  things 
«re  wrong  in  this  world. 

The  men  who  believe  in  the  Son  of  Jdm  and  pray 
for  the  coming  of  God's  kingdom  have  just  one  com- 
mission :   They  are  to  follow  the  ideal  of  Christ  and 
to  build  on  earth  a  human  society  in  which  Christ  can 
dwell  and  the  Son  of  Man  can  find  a  home.  The  men 
who  follow  the  program  of  the  kingdom  can  never 
be  satisfied  till  the  world  as  they  find  it  has  become 
the  world  as  it  ought  to  be ;  till  the  teachings  of  Christ 
have  become  both  practicable  and  real  in  the  whole  so- 
cial world ;  till  there  is  built  np  in  the  earth  a  society 
that  realizes  the  ideal  of  Christ,  a  City  of  God  come 
down  to  earth.    And  so  the  men  who  believe  in  Christ 
and  seek  His  kingdom  will  consciously  seek  to  live  the 
Christian  life  and  to  build  a  social  order  that  Christ 
can  approve ;  that  as  the  Chrktian  husband  and  wife 
consciously  and  gladly  unite  their  lives  to  build  a 
Christian  home  in  which  the  Spirit  of  Christ  can  reign 
and  each  life  is  blessed ;  as  a  company  of  disciples  con- 
scioQsly  and  lovingly  strive  together  to  orei^  a  Chris- 
tian Church  that  shall  be  a  real  fellowsh^  of  bve  and 
a  real  household  of  faith ;  so  the  people  of  a  community 
calling  themselves  intelligent  and  Christian  will  con- 
sciously and  resolutely  set  themselves  the  task  of  build- 
ing np  a  society  on  earth  after  the  pattern  of  the  Holy 
City  where  every  life  has  its  place,  whera  eveiy  soul 
has  a  true  inheritance  in  society,  where  no  one  is 
wronged  and  trodden  underfoot,  where  all  men  live 
together  as  brothers.   In  a  word,  the  program  of  the 
Uagdom  is  summed  np  in  tbe  one  tuk  of  ri^tening 


THE  PBOGRAM  0¥  SOCIAL  SALVATIOir  181 

the  rdations  of  men,  aasooiating  them  in  righteous  and 
fraternal  '«ulovv  ship,  isterfuging  their  hearts  in  oommon 
aims,  int  b  locking  then  wills  in  a  common  will,  taking 
up  hindi  iri<  cs  out  of  the  way,  maJdng  straight  paths 
for  men'.>  x6w«,  giving  every  soul  a  fair  inheritance  in 
life,  ensnring  every  human  being  room  enough  for  his 
proper  expansion,  and  embodying  their  mnfintlnl  life  in 
social  institutions  that  shall  realize  the  ideal  of  the  king, 
dom  and  in  which  the  Son  of  Alan  can  find  a  home. 

The  kingdom  of  God  in  the  Christian  conception  of 
things  never  means  anything  less  than  a  human  society 
on  earth.  And  hence  the  program  of  the  Ohristiaa 
worker  must  never  fall  short  of  anything  less  than  the 
©reation  of  such  a  kingdom.    Suppose  it  were  possible 
by  the  method  of  sool  winning  and  evangelism  to  save 
every  soul  from  perditk>n  and  save  it  for  the  kingdom 
m  heaven.   Yet  this  end,  great  and  glrajoos  as  it  may 
be,  would  be  but  a  part,  and  in  a  way  a  secondary  part, 
of  the  purpose  of  Christ.   For,  as  we  have  seen,  the 
progmm  of  the  kingdom  in  its  primary  meaning  is 
rammed  up  in  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  miplies  and  demands  the  creation  of  a  human 
society  on  earth.   That  man  is  made  for  glory  and 
hononr  and  unmoriality  we  most  firmly  beUeve.  That 
there  is  a  continuing  life  beyond  the  bourne  of  thne 
and  place  is  the  plain  teaching  of  Ser^tnm  That 
nm's  life  is  dwarfed  when  it  is  bounded  by  the  cradle 
and  the  grave  the  lives  of  many  men  aU  too  sadly 
Prov«.   That  w«  never  see  the  true  grandeur  and  glory 
of  life  till  we  view  it  in  the  light  of  eternity  we  mort 
positively  aflBrm.    But  whUe  aU  this  is  true,  we  must 
yet  not  miss  the  duty  that  is  near  in  beholding  the 
glory  that  is  beyond.   And  so  we  come  back  to  th« 


132      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


first  items  in  the  Christian  program  and  repeat  the 
proposition  that  our  present  business  is  to  seek  the 
salvation  of  all  life  and  to  build  on  earth  a  Christian 
type  of  human  lodety.  The  program  for  the  future 
Ute  and  the  heavenly  world  has  not  yet  been  announced 
to  us.  The  program  for  this  life  and  for  this  world  is 
plain  and  positive.  This  we  may  note,  however,  that 
heaven  is  pictured  to  us  as  a  city.  Hence  the  best 
preparatixm  tat  heaven  is  the  praetioe  of  oitiniiahip  in 
the  cities  of  earth.  The  man  who  has  the  vision  of  a 
Holy  City  and  lives  and  labours  to  build  that  kind  of  a 
city  in  the  community  where  he  dwells  has  found  the 
way  of  life  and  knows  the  will  of  God ;  luch  a  one 
shall  never  fail  in  the  life  beyond  bat  there  shall  be 
ministered  unto  him  an  abundant  entrance  into  the 
everlasting  kingdom  of  the  Father ;  he  will  have  the 
freedom  of  every  city  in  the  Great  £mpire  and  will  find 
himself  at  home  wherever  he  shall  be. 


BIBUOOBAPHT 

Daalej:  "Sooiology." 

Ward :  "Applied  Sociology." 

Strong:  "The  Next  Great  AwakMi^" 

Ward :  "Sodal  Miniatry." 

H«rth :  "Tbe  Captive  City  of  Good." 

BMten  :  "  The  Chordi  aa  the  ITiti  i  iif  ffHiwiwiH."  Awmltm  hmmt 

«f  SaeMon,  Manh,  1903. 
MMlqrs  "FlMksodaBtlMtOfellm** 


V 


THE  METHOD  OP  SOCIAL  ACTION 

THERE  are  two  practical  questions  that  the 
world  asks  of  its  teachers  and  leaders.  Is 
the  ideal  held  np  before  men  one  which  the 
fact!  of  life  and  the  order  of  the  mxAd  justify  and  en- 
dorse ?  Does  it  have  behind  it  the  prestige  of  the  uni- 
verse and  does  it  explain  the  processes  of  history? 
And  is  the  method  by  which  this  ideal  is  to  be  sought 
•nd  realized  one  which  will  lead  most  directly  and 
manlj  to  the  goal  ?  Does  the  prognun  contttbi  tlw 
promise  and  prophecy  of  the  attainment  of  the  ideal  it- 
self  ?  Religion,  we  are  ♦-Id,  means  a  knowledge  of  oup 
destiny,  and  of  the  way  which  leads  to  it.  Two  things 
we  imidied  hero  which  are  equally  important:  We 
want  a  Christian  program ;  and  we  must  w<^  by  the 
Christian  method.  In  the  previous  chapter  we  consid- 
ered the  new  social  program ;  in  this  chapter  we  are 
ooBoeciMd  with  the  method  of  social  salvation. 

In  any  complete  view  ot  mta  tfaero  axe  four  fhefeon 
that  must  be  taken  into  account :  Heredity,  Environ- 
ment, Personal  Initiative  and  the  Grace  of  God.  At 
different  times  and  by  different  men  the  emphasis  has 
beta  thrawB  now  vipoa  one  and  now  upon  another  of 
these  factors.  In  fact  thm  hm  bean  the  attempt  of 
many  to  explain  life  in  terms  of  one  factor  alone,  and 
to  minimize  all  the  others.  Thus,  among  theologians, 
bae  been  a  dispo«dtk>n  to  explain  everything  in 
tannaef  penonal win  and  dirfaw  grace;  thtee  it  is  add 
•M      ifl  dulwinliitug  factors  in  Ban's  life  and  the 

188 


184      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTLINITT 

others  signify  little.   Among  modem  sociologists  there 
is  a  tendency  to  explain  life  in  terms  of  environment 
ftkme;  aoocHrding  to  some  teachers  man  is  a  product  of 
his  environment,  and  we  will  have  better  men  when 
we  have  better  social  conditions.   It  is  needless  to  say 
that  both  parties  are  sadly  mistaken  in  their  view  of 
man  and  his  making.   It  is  perhaps  needless  to  show 
that  iuoh  pwtial  oonoeptions  lead  to  a  one^ded  view 
of  man  and  that  they  result  in  on^ided  efforts  for  bis 
uplifting.   As  a  matter  of  fact  all  of  these  factors  are 
essential  and  it  is  therefore  unwise  to  exalt  one  at  the 
tzpense  of  all  the  others.   Where  aU  are  vital  aU  must 
be  taken  into  aoooimt  Without  in  any  sense  minimis- 
ing  or  ignoring  the  other  three  factors  we  here  consider 
somewhat  in  detail  the  influence  of  the  social  factors 
upon  man's  life,  and  then  mark  our  duty  in  the 
pranises. 

I.  The  Economic  Basis  op  the  Spiritual  Life 
1.  In  the  study  of  man  and  the  determination  of 
his  duty  no  question  has  been  more  interesting  and 
practical  than  the  ascertainment  of  the  lehition  be- 
tween the  spiritual  and  the  material  Is  the  sfdritaal 
life  an  entity  by  itself,  something  largely  if  not  quite  ♦ 
independent  of  its  material  environment,  a  quantity  or 
quaUty  unaffected  by  anything  beyond  itself  and  so 
able  to  determine  eveiythiBg  oat  of  its  own  inner  pow- 
ers  ?  As  every  student  of  history  knows  many  good 
men  have  answered  these  questions  in  the  aflirmative; 
in  fact  the  answer  is  formrlated  in  great  conceptions 
of  saintliood  and  organized  in  definite  schemes  of  church 
polity.  The  spiritual  life  must  be  lived  by  itsdf  and 
from  itself,  men  have  said;  man  may  liftve  »  body,  but 


THE  METHOD  OF  SOCIAL  ACTION 


186 


t^e  spirit  must  emancipate  itself;  the  spirit's  life  must 
be  wholly  independent  of  its  physical  conditions  and 
mast  not  be  determined  by  them.  And  so  we  find 
mm  like  the  phikwopher  imltivating  the  spirit  and 
ashamed  that  they  luive  bodies;  we  find  saints  re> 
nouncing  aU  bodily  comforts  and]  espousing  the  Bride 
Poverty ;  we  find  men  teaching  that  the  spiritual  life 
can  be  lived  anywhere  and  under  all  conditions.  There 
is  a  great  truth  here^  more  truth  than  the  men  of  thie 
age  are  likely  to  admit ;  but  after  all  this  is  not  the 
whole  truth ;  and  taken  by  itself  it  may  easily  beorane 
a  great  cause  of  error. 

In  all  times  there  ha,ve  been  other  teachers  who  have 
tiaown  the  emphasis  of  thought  and  interest  dseirhera. 
But  not  until  these  latter  days  has  this  conceptkm  been 
fuUy  formulated  into  a  coherent  and  definite  igrstem. 
It  is  needless  for  our  purpose  to  trace  out  the  begin- 
ning and  devdopmoit  of  this  system ;  nor  is  it  neces- 
sary to  describe  the  ▼ariati<8u  of  it  that  have  appeared 
in  history.  Within  the  past  two  generations,  from  the 
days  of  Kail  Marx,  one  aspect  of  this  doctrine  has  had 
many  apostles ;  and  to-day  it  is  finding  expression  in 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  movements  of  the  times. 
According  to  the  apostles  of  1^  dodarine  **The  total> 
ity  of  the  industrial  relations  constitutes  the  economio 
striMJture  of  society,  the  real  basis  upon  which  the 
l^gal  and  political  superstructure  is  built,  and  to  which 
definite  farms  of  sodal  oonaoiousness  eotretpcmd.  The 
method  of  producing  the  material  livelihood  detenninei 
the  social,  political  and  intellectual  process  in  general 
It  is  not  men's  consciousness  which  determines  their 
1^;  it  is  their  sodal  life  which  determines  their  con- 


136      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

"Ideaa  do  not  faU  from  heaven;  and  what  is  mor^ 
like  other  products  of  hu^aan  activity,  they  are  formed 
in  given  drciimgtanoes,  in  the  precise  fullness  of  time, 
through  the  action  <rf  definite  needs,  thanks  to  the  re- 
peated attempts  at  their  satisfaction,  and  by  the  dis- 
covery of  such  and  such  other  means  of  proof  which 
are,  as  it  were,  the  instruments  of  their  production  and 
elaboration.  .   .  .  In  other  words,  man  develops  or 
produces  himself,  not    an  entity  generioally  provided 
with  certain  attributes  which  repeat  themselves  or 
develop  themselves,  according  to  a  rational  rhythm, 
but  he  produces  and  develops  himself  as  at  once  cause 
and  effect,  as  author  and  consequence  of  certain  definite 
conditions,  m  which  are  engendered  also  definite  eat- 
rents  of  ideas,  of  opinions,  of  beliefa,  of  imaginations, 
of  expectations,  of  maxims.   ...   To  recommend 
morahty  to  men  while  assuming  or  ignoring  their  con- 
ditions, this  was  hitherto  the  object  and  the  class  of  ax^ 
gument  of  aU  the  catechists.   To  recognize  that  these 
are  given  by  the  social  environment,  that  is  what  the 
communists  oppose  to  the  Utopia  and  the  hypocrisy  of 
the  preachers  of  morality."'  In  the  words  of  Karl 
Marx  himself:   "With  me  .   .   .   the  ideal  is  noth- 
mg  else  than  the  material  world  reflected  by  the  hu- 
nuin  mind  and  transkted  into  forms  of  thought."* 
Beyond  question  there  is  a  great  truth  here,  moi«  truth 
perhaps  than  many  idealists  are  prepared  to  admit ;  bat 
after  all  this  is  not  the  whole  truth.   Where  then  does 
touth  lie?  And  what  shall  be  the  attitude  of  the 
sodal  worker  to-day  ?  It  would  carry  us  too  far  from 

MSjncJ  ni  *^  Mi»»«iiai*io  OooetptiM  of ffiMsiy,*'  ff, 


THB  MBTHOD  07  SOCIAL  AOHOIT  ISf 

oor  main  purpose  to  diioiM  thesa  questknii  hero ;  all 
that  we  can  hope  to  do  is  to  notice  two  at  three  fiu^on 
entering  into  the  problem  and  to  note  their  bearing 
upon  the  main  questioiL 

8.  According  to  the  Christian  conception  of  things 
man  isa  qiirit  inhabiting  a  body  and  using  it  as  a  K««jf 
and  a  means.  But  spirit  and  body  for  the  present  at  leart 
are  so  intimately  related  and  so  vitally  interdependent 
that  neither  can  be  viewed  by  itself  alone.   As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  man's  spirit  unfolds  and  grows  jparipoMU 
with  the  growth  and  derelqmiemt  of  hb  body.  In  a 
real  sense  the  development  and  unfolding  of  the  body 
is  the  cause  and  condition  of  the  unfolding  and  prtg- 
resB  of  the  spirit.  Many  things  show  that  spirit  in- 
fluences body;  bat  qnite  as  many  things  show  that 
body  influences  spirit.   This  we  know  that  man'k 
mental  and  moral  and  spiritual  life  rises  and  falls  with 
the  rise  and  fall  of  his  physical  condition.  Unsuitable 
and  fasoffldeat  food  affects  the  mental  life ;  foul  air 
kwew  the  tone  of  the  moral  life;  men  with  starred 
and  anemic  bodies  never  manifest  a  vigorous  spiritoal 
condition.   The  spiritual  life  to  be  strong  and  healthful 
requires  a  good  physical  and  economic  basis.    And  this 
f«ol  the  Seripkures  fully  recognize  and  abundantly  il- 
Instrate. 

In  the  Mosaic  legislation  and  in  the  prophetic  teach- 
ing this  truth  is  conspicuous.  The  Mosaic  legislation, 
whatever  may  be  its  date,  is  based  upon  this  truth.  It 
is  Jehovah's  purpose,  as  deehured  to  the  fathers,  to 
bnng  His  people  faito  a  goodly  land,  a  land  fkmia^ 
with  milk  and  honey,  where  they  shall  eat  bread  with- 
out scarceness  and  live  without  fear  of  hunger.  There 
they  shall  live  as  Jehovah's  people  in  peace  and  plenty, 


138      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


in  gladness  and  joy.'  This  truth  appears  also  in  the 
teaching  of  the  prophets.  Thus  according  to  Joel  the 
return  of  material  prosperity  for  the  nation  is  to  be  fol* 
lowed  by  an  even  more  signal  blessing,  the  outponring 
of  the  Spirit  upon  all  the  people.  The  order  of  events 
here  is  significant  and  must  not  be  overlooked.  As  a 
scholarly  commentator  observes:  "A  certain  degree 
of  prosperity  and  even  of  c(»nfort  is  an  indispennUe 
condition  of  that  universal  and  lavish  ezaroiseoltto 
religious  faculties,  which  Joel  picture*  under  the  pour- 
ing forth  of  God's  Spirit." »  And  as  the  author  quoted 
ahowB,  the  history  of  prophecy  itself  furnishes  us  with 
proofs  of  this.  «  When  did  prophecy  most  flourish  in  Is- 
rael? When  had  the  Spirit  of  God  most  freedom  in 
developing  the  intellectual  and  moral  nature  of  Israel  ? 
Not  when  the  nation  was  struggling  with  the  conquest 
and  settlement  of  the  land,  not  when  it  was  engaged 
with  the  embarrassments  uid  jnrivatimis  of  the  Syrian 
wars ;  but  an  Amos,  a  Hosea,  an  Isaiah  came  forth  at 
the  end  of  the  long  and  peaceful  and  prosperous  reigns 
of  Jeroboam  II  and  Uzziah.  ...  In  Haggaiand 
Zedbariah,  on  tiie  other  hand,  who  woiked  in  the 
hunger-bitten  colony  of  returned  exiles,  there  was  no 
such  fullness  of  the  Spirit.  Prophecy  was  then  starved 
by  the  poverty  and  meanness  of  the  national  life  from 
whkdi  it  rosa"  And  the  same  fact,  we  are  told,  is  seen 
in  the  history  of  Christianity  itself.  The  Master  Him- 
self found  His  first  disciples,  not  in  hungry  and  ragged 
communities,  but  mid  the  prosperity  p\d  opulence  of 
Galilee.   The  Reformation  was  preceded  by  the  Eo- 

•Ezodiu  iU.  7,  8;  Dmi  ylli.  1-10. 

•Om.  AdMB  Smilh,  "Iks  Bsok  Of  tiM  TvdT*  PnplMii,"  ToL  n, 


THE  MBTHOD  OF  SOCIAL  ACTIOV  M 

B«iiniio^  ttkl  OB  the  oontfaiflnt  of  Europe,  drew  iti 
forces,  not  from  the  enslaved  and  impoteriilMd  populft* 

tions  of  Italy  and  Southern  Austria,  but  from  the  large 
civic  and  commercial  centres  of  Germany.  An  emi- 
nent historiam  in  his  lectures  of  "  The  £conomio  Inter- 
pretation of  History''  has  shown  that  way  religious 
revival  in  England  has  happened  upon  a  basis  of  com- 
parative prosperity.   And  he  might  have  added,  says 
Geo.  Adam  Smith,  that  the  great  missionary  movement 
of  the  nineteenth  century  is  contemporaneous  with  the 
enormous  advance  of  our  ocmuneroe  and  ooremj^' 
On  the  whole,  then,  the  witness  of  history  is  uniform. 
Poverty  and  persecution,  famine,  nakedness,  peril  and 
sword,  put  a  keenness  upon  the  spirit  of  religion, 
while  luxury  rots  <mt  its  very  fibres ;  but  a  stable  basis 
of  prosperity  is  indispensable  to  every  social  and  relig- 
ious reform,  and  God's  Spirit  finds  fuUeet  course  in  com- 
munities of  a  certain  degree  of  civilization  and  of  free- 
dom from  sordidness."*  According  to  the  prophet  the 
physical  needs  of  the  people  are  to  be  abundantly  satis- 
fied before  they  receive  a  special  spiritual  bkssiiig.* 

The  same  truth  finds  clear  expression  in  the  life 
and  teaching  of  the  Master  Himself.  Every  student 
of  the  Gospels  knows  that  Jesus  spent  a  laige  part 
of  His  time  ministering  to  the  matorial  needs  of  the 
people,  and  in  fact  He  fcmnerly  announced  that  He 
had  come  to  preach  deliverance  to  captives,  the  recov- 
ering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  and  to  proclaim  the  accept- 
*W»  year  of  the  Lord.  In  the  Model  Prayer  the 
arder  <^  the  peCitioos  is  most  iignifioaitt  Whflii 

*"The  Book  ot «>> Twlf  rwjttlfc'*  Vol.  IL  an.  488,  ^ 
'HngliM,  "fiMBtiia  Ghriatiaaity,"  p,  180. 


140      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 


pray  they  are  to  acknowledge  Ood  as  tl^  heftvenlj 

Father ;  and  they  are  to  pray  that  His  name  may  be 
hallowed,  His  kingdom  may  come  and  His  will  be 
doiiA,  OB  earth  as  in  heaven.  Then  implied  in  all 
this,  involved  in  the  Father's  kingdom  and  growing 
out  of  the  Father's  will,  we  find  petitions  for  our 
daily  human  needs.  The  petition  for  daily  bread  pre- 
cedes  the  petition  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins  and  de- 
liverance from  evil  The  cmier  of  things  in  the  Law, 
the  Prophets  and  the  Gospel  is  the  same.  The  pro^ 
vision  for  man's  physical  needs  is  the  condition  of 
his  spiritual  health.  First,  material  prosperity,  then 
seocmd  the  penteoostai  blessing;  daily  bread  and 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  and  escape  from  temptation. 
The  fr  "k  and  full  recognition  of  this  fact  will  do 
much  clear  away  the  misconceptions  that  have 
gathered  around  Christianity ;  and  it  will  do  much 
to  guide  social  workers  in  their  efiForts  for  social 
progress. 

3.  The  -piritual  life  demands  a  satisfactory  eco- 
nomic bas;  .  Because  this  fact  has  been  ignored ; 
beeaose  Cmistiaa  men  in  the  name  of  a  false  spiritu- 
ality have  been  indifferent  to  the  phyiioal  needs  of 
mankind,  many  people  have  little  patience  with  the 
Christian  churches  and  accuse  them  of  blindness  and 
nselessness.  Hugh  Price  Hughes  speaks  none  too 
itrongly  when  he  says  that « There  is  an  irritating 
tendency  on  the  part  of  some  excellent,  well-fed, 
well-housed  and  well-clothed  persons,  who  have  never 
been  really  hungry  since  they  were  bom,  to  talk  about 
taking  the  Gospel  to  the  starving  and  the  destitute, 
while  they  ostentatiously  refuse  to  trouble  themselvea 
in  the  least  about  eoonomio  and  social  qnestioiis. 


THK  METHOD  OF  80CUL  ACTIOir 


141 


TImw  well-led,  wtiUKmad  indiTkhialt  woald  ummo 
m  very  different  .^ne  if  they  had  been  fasting  two 

diys,  and  if  their  wives  and  children  were  dying  of 
w»nt  under  their  very  eyes.  The  Scriptures  every- 
where rebuke  and  condemn  the  selfish  and  cruel  argu- 
ment that  religion  haa  nothing  to  do  with  feedhig  the 
hungry  and  clothing  the  naked.  ...  In  spedai 
and  individual  cases  the  pentecostal  blessing  may  be 
obtained  while  thousands  are  starving,  but  it  can 
never  be  realized  <m  a  large  and  natkaial  soale  until 
the  voice  of  complaining  oeaaet  in  our  itoeets,  and 
every  honest  and  industrious  man  has  a  reasonable 
opportunity  of  making  a  comfortable  livelihood  for 
hit  family  and  himself.  Let  that  never  be  forgotten." ' 
Thefe  are  many  who  are  inclined  to  make  light  of 
man's  social  and  physical  cooditkm,  and  they  never 
grow  tired  of  repeating  tLe  commonplace  remark  that 
Adam  lost  his  religion  in  Eden  while  Daniel  gained 
his  (sown  in  Babylon.  Bnt  mch  people,  it  may  be 
noted,  are  as  a  rule  comfortable  and  well-fed 
who  know  little  or  nothing  of  the  real  irinoh  of  lif^ 
And  such  people  it  may  also  be  noted  are  most  jealous 
of  thdr  children's  condition;  they  seek  out  the  best 
residential  districts  for  their  homes ;  and  they  toil  and 
■ave  to  relieve  their  ohildrBa  ftoa  the  pramre  of 
anxiety  and  want. 

The  duty  of  all  social  workers  is  very  plain.  They 
must  learn  to  take  thought  for  the  material  needs  of 
men  and  to  provide  a  good  eoonomio  basis  for  ibm 
spiritual  life.  It  is  difficult,  as  every  one  knows,  to 
enlist  large  portions  of  our  population  in  the  things 
of  Christianity.   And  is  not  this  failure  due  in  part  at 

*  "ttwullsl  Ohrirtltiilty."  pp.  181-108. 


14S      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTUHITT 

leMt  to  the  fMt  that  the  basis  of  their  life  ii  lo 
•ordid  and  inseoore P  "Lives  which  are  strained  and 
•tomd,  nvm  whkh  are  passed  in  ranlc  discomfort 
and  under  grinding  porcrtj,  withoBl  tha  powbilitv  of 
the  independence  of  the  individaal  or  the  ffwrmlinw 
of  the  home  cannot  be  religious  except  in  the  most 
radtoentarj  sense  of  the  word.  For  the  revival  of 
«n«g«tlo  religion  among  such  lives  we  must  wait  for 
a  better  distribution,  not  of  wealth,  bat  of  the  bara 
means  of  comfort,  leisure  tjid  security.  ...  The 
economic  problem,  therefore,  has  also  its  niaoa  in  tha 
warfare  fw  the  kingdom  of  God."  • 

In  this  oonnectioii  we  majnote  the  provisions  of 
the  Mosiac  legislation  with  reference  to  the  eoonanio 
baas  of  man's  life.   According  to  ^he  Mosaic  law  the 
land  and  its  resources  belonged  to  the  people  and  not 
to  a  few  iodividoals;  and  so  positive  provisions  are 
made  for  a  fair  and  eqnitaUe  divkioii  of  the  land. 
In  that  legislation  the  family  is  made  the  unit,  and 
a  certain  portion  is  set  apart  for  it.   Provision  is 
made  whereby  every  family  shaU  have  its  fair  share 
of  the  oommon  inheritance,  and  tht  greatest  care  is 
taken  that  no  family  shall  be  permanently  handicapped 
and  disinherited.   Every  family  has  r  just  chum  for 
wi  equitable  portion  of  the  national  heritage;  and  it 
M  made  the  dnty  of  the  nation  to  make  a  pkce  for 
tins  family  and  to  gnaraatee  to  it  a  fUr  inheritance. 
The  legislator  recognizes  the  fact  that  man's  nitfanate 
dependence  is  upon  the  soil,  and  so  he  seeks  to  keep 
tte  people  ar    jar  to  it  as  possible  and  to  prevent 
tMr  permanent  dttpofseasion  from  it.   By  means  of 
the  jubilee  provision  he  sought  to  anwre  to  the  people 
'Smith,  "Tlis  BMk«f  «|M  T*»heR«ita%"Tsl.II,^«ii|| 


TBI  MSTBOO  or  lOCUL  AOmi  lU 

«f  •mjgMMntkNi  ft  tnA  mtm  totiMfandaiid  to 
prevent       pimaiii^  tiiHMtiw  of  tkt  Moiilnd 

•state.* 

It  if  quite  pawible  that  this  legislation  is  not  to  be 
taktn  in  its  litent  tenna  today ;  but  none  the  less  there 
Are  principles  here  whioh  ttn  a  part  of  tiM»  dnirtiM 

rerelation  and  are  fowoor  binding  upon  mea.  Tho 
earth  and  its  resouroei  Mong  to  the  people ;  no  man 
and  no  set  of  men  haa  tlw  right  to  monopolize  these 
TOKNUoei  and  to  hoM  tlmn  aga^  the  people.  Every 
child  IxHrn  into  tho  would  has  some  meaning  in  the  total 
meaning  -  id  some  value  in  th-^  total  value ;  hence  a 
pUioe  must  be  made  for  it  at  >le  and  it  must  be 
gaarantoed  its  ptartion.  To4ay  we  leoognize  this  prin- 
d]^  in  the  moot  mwegw  wi^ ;  for  ire  mm!  the  pauper 
to  the  asylum  or  the  alm^jcne.  The  time  has  surely 
come  for  Christian  people  to  recognize  these  principles, 
to  tea«h  them  to  all  men,  that  a  national  conscience 
may  be  made  and  that  a  Ohriitian  looial  order  may  be 
oreated.  The  time  has  ooom  for  the  pat^  wJifag 
themselves  Christians  and  believing  that  the  Bible  is  a 
divine  book  and  contains  the  divine  will  for  human 
•ooiety,  to  study  its  principles,  to  accept  them  in  all 
their  bearings  and  thai  eeek  to  aaln  them  regnant  ia 
the  aoeU  order. 

IL  Tbx  Paovnioir  won  All  ow  thk  Gonditions 
OF  A  Full  ahd  Humait  Lm 

1.  It  has  become  very  plain  to  the  modem  student 
that  physical  conditions  determine  many  things  in 
man's  moral  and  spiritual  life.   The  criminologist  has 

'I^'iMwi  zzT.  1-66 ;  KeUofg,  "Hm  Book  of  Uritieiii,*'  Gh9> 
tarXXfi;  Mnager,  "  Tte Finodom  e<  Ftiib,"  €^i§t«  VU. 


144      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHIHSTIANITT 

Bhown  conclusively  that  the  average  criminal  is  physic- 
ally defective  at  some  point;  he  has  grown  up  in 
moraUy  depraving  conditions,  or  he  has  suffered  from 
dtfective  nutrition,  or  his  phyrical  condition  is  below 
normal'  The  scientist  has  shown  that  many  foimi  of 
mental  and  moral  backwardness  have  physical  causes  • 
many  school  children  rated  a«  deficient  are  found  to' 
be  phynoally  iU-nonrished ;  some  are  suffering  from 
physical  defects  of  one  kind  and  another;  lacineM  ■ 
sometmies  moral,  but  in  miUions  of  cases  it  is  caowd 

Kl£!f*"**°  ^"^^^ '  """^^  "^^t^'l  moral 

aberration  are  due  in  large  measure  to  vitiated  air  and 

defective  nutrition.   The  sociologist  hag  riiown  no  lea. 
conclusively  that  environment  is  one  of  the  detenniB. 
mg  md  potent  factors  in  man's  life ;  according  to  the 
^teachings  of  sociology  human  nature  is  a  pretty  oon- 
•taat  quality,  and  in  itself  and  of  itself  it  possesses  no 
such  differences  aa  are  found  among  men.'  Thismeans. 
on  the  one  side,  that  the  factor  of  environmiiit  ii 
largely  if  not  chiefly  respensible  for  the  marked  mental 
and  moral  differences  in  men,  as  well  as  the  obvious 
and  ominont  nmnber  of  dependent  and  defective  mem- 
bers  of  society.  This  mewia,  on  the  other  side,  that  if 
this  factor  of  environment  were  fully  understood  and 
OOTsciously  directed,  it  might  be  possible  to  eliminate 
ftom  aooiety  these  worse  phenomena  and  to  uplift  the 
average  of  the  race.  ^ 

It  is  possible  to  overemphasize  this  fkotor  and  to 
nunimize  individual  initiative;  but  the  simple  hob  k 
no  one  caj  live  his  best  life  in  bad  conditions;  no 
growing  life  can  attain  unto  its  full  spiritual  stature  in 

1  ^  "Pdmlml  SoeWogy,"  Ctopter  11. 


THE  METHOD  OP  SOCIAL  ACTION  145 

aa  imnml  or  a  naa-moni  environment.   The  ones- 
tions  of  fresh  air,  snlBdait  food,  pure  water,  sanitaiy 
conditions,  social  atmosphere,  and  dean  literature  aie 
muchmore  than  secular  questions  concerning  the  social 
worker  but  of  no  concern  to  the  spiritual  worker. 
With  cooditioni  m  they  are  millions  of  men  are  really 
disbaiTed  from  the  heights  «f  life.  By  giving  them 
better  conditions  we  may  increase  their  chances  of 
ascent  tenfold.   Some  narrow  individualists  and  so- 
called  spiritnal  workers  wiU  persist  in  misunderetand- 
mg  all  this;  they  WiU  soom  those  who  an  seeldng  the 
betterment  of  social  conditions,  and  will  floot  them  as 
solemn  triflers.   But  the  wise  workers  for  the  kingdom 
who  have  some  conception  of  the  factors  that  enter  into 
the  maUBg  of  a  life  cannot  pause  in  their  work  till 
every  other  worker  has  leanied  to  take  a  fdU^oanded 
view  of  man.   One  of  the  essential  items  in  the  progiam 
of       kingdom  is  therefore  the  creating  of  favouiaMe 
oon^ons  for  the  development  of  good  qualities  in  life. 
As  Max  Noidean  has  said:  "Many  Hercules  withi 
Jnno,  and  Apollo  with  Venus,  and  pot  them  in  dnmsl 
Then-  ChUdren  will  be  stmited  in  growth,  rickety,  and 
orasumptive.   On  the  other  hand,  take  the  misekble 
•lam  dwellers  out  of  their  noxious  surroundings,  house, 
ftad,  elothe  them,  give  them  plenty  of  light,  air,  and 
leiswe,  and  their  grandchUdren,  perhaps  alnady  their 
ChUdren,  wiU  reproduce  the  type  of  the  fine,  tall  Saxons  ^ 
and  Danes  of  whom  we  are  the  offspring." "  \As  the  ' 
ftimsr  has  shown,  what  we  oaU  cultivation  is  simply 
selective  aotioii  whereby  repressive  and  hindering  ii 
flnences  are  removed,  and  the  whole  potency  of  air, 
•nnlight,  soil  and  rain  are  made  available  for  the  giow- 

^dmiHeam  Journal  tfa>eMon,atgi.,  IMS,  p.  S88. 


146      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 


ing  plant.  The  creation  of  better  social  oonditioai, 
that  is  conditions  which  both  nourish  and  nortore  the 
mental  and  moral  life^  is  a  necessary  step  in  the  Ohxis> 
tian  program. 

9.  This  qnesticm  of  eoTiromneitt  aooenteatet  the 
social  duty  of  Christian  workers  and  points  the  way  in 
social  action.  Environment  is  an  all-potent  factor  in 
the  life  of  the  individual  and  determines  a  hundred 
things  for  every  man.  So  far  as  the  individual  is  oon- 
oenied  there  is  something  ahaott  fatelistio  iathepoww 
and  sweep  of  this  factor ;  a  man  can  no  more  escape 
the  influence  of  his  environment  than  he  can  escape 
the  pull  of  g^vitation  or  the  need  for  food.  But  sup- 
pose that  society  can  control  the  envircmment  and  can 
determine  every  one  of  its  elements  ?  Suppose  that 
society  may  make  an  environment  either  good  or  bad, 
and  may  thus  determine  the  direction  and  the  rate  of 
human  progress  ?  In  these  latter  days  the  study  of 
•odokgy  has  shown  the  influence  and  potency  of  this 
factor  in  man's  life,  and  the  ablest  sociologists  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  nurture  is  more  potent  than  nature 
in  man's  life.  Now  and  then  there  may  be  a  voMia  pot* 
sessed  of  strong  wiU  who 

"  Bursts  his  birth's  invidious  bar,  ! 
And  grasps  the  skirts  of  happi^r^guld" 

Here  and  there  an  outstanding  life  may  seem  to  be 
more  or  less  independent  of  its  surroundings  and  con* 
ditions,  and  to  make  a  career  for  himself.  But  even  in 
these  exceptional  oases  it  will  appear  that  environment 
WM  all  potmt  somewhere  along  the  line  and  determined 
many  mxxn  things  than  the  man  sof^oeed.  And  this 


IHl  miBOD  OF  SOCIAL  AOTlOlf  I47 

MUM  Ita^  iliowB  the  mfluenoe  of  environment 

upon  the  life  i.  ako  iliowing  men  no !«»  clearly  how 
they  may  control  this  factor  and  may  it  in  be- 
half of  human  development  and  social  progrew.  Tbu 
ferthis  factor  has  wrought  in  a  more  or  less  uncon- 

■aooi  and  Indelibemte  way  so  far  as  man  is  concerned : 
but  now  men  are  b^ginniog  in  a  oniioioai  md  telio 
way  to  use  this  factor  and  to  determine  its  anrfe  of 
incidence.  According  to  Prof  essor  Huxley  socila  prog- 
w^^means  a  checking  of  the  natural  and  unoonscioi 
prooaw  and  the  inbstitntion  for  it  of  a  conscious  and 
teho  process.   "  I  see  no  limit  to  the  extent  to  whidi 
inteUigence  and  will,  guided  by  sound  principles  of 
investigation,  and  organized  in  common  effort,  may 
Jjodify  the  conditions  of  existence,  for  a  period  longer 
Uiaa  that  now  covered  by  history.  And  much  ma/be 
aone  to  change  the  nature  of  man  himseH" » 

8  In  view  of  this  the  people  who  would  seek  the 
kingdom  of  Gkxi  and  build  on  earth  a  Christian  society 
^•▼••TwydefinftedntytofalfilL  They  must  put  fortit 
a  collective  effort  to  provide  tor  my  sool  the  foU  con- 
ditions of  a  humaa,  worthy,  moral  and  spiritoal  lifei 
Th^jnust  fund  their  wisdom  and  faith  and  use  them 
•vittetively  m  changing  conditions  that  are  hurtful  and 
'r  ndenng,  and  in  providing  conditions  that  shall  be 
helpful  Mid  uplifting.  They  mnstdedaie  that  BO  seal 
shaU  be  allowed  to  grow  up  in  evil  and  defiling  surround- 
^s^dthey  must  guarantee  to  eveiy  child  the 

tl^J'r  IWth  andwi^ton  andlovein 

pledge  for  all,  and  must  provide  that  the  hain  daH  1m 
greatest  where  the  need  is  sorest. 


148      TBI  SOCIAL  TASK  OW  GHBIBTIANITr 


In  fnlfUhiMnt  of  thk  tim  th«re  aremanj  iMngi  that 

Ohristiaa  men  can  do  and  must  do.  Thej  will  ledc  to 
remove  all  conditions  that  make  for  human  weaknen, 
and  to  provide  those  that  make  for  human  strength. 
They  wffl  wage  an  nnoeamng  warfare  against  all  con- 
ditions that  make  it  eaqr  for  childhood  to  lose  its  bloom 
of  innocence  and  hard  for  it  to  grow  up  tail  and  pure. 
They  will  put  forth  a  steady  effort  to  build  a  wall  of 
protection  around  girlhood  and  boyhood,  and  to  shield 
oUUren  from  stonting  toQ  and  needless  hardship, 
niey  will  exercise  the  sovereignty  of  the  state  in  f«- 
moving  the  handicaps  and  hindrances  that  are  upon 
men  and  they  will  show  their  wisdom  and  their  faith 
in  keeping  the  door  of  opportunity  open  before  every 
sool  in  their  oommmiity.  If  coDditkns  are  unsanitary 
in  the  city  they  will  organize  a  Board  of  Health  and 
will  endeavour  to  make  them  sanitary.  If  there  are 
unfit  tenements  that  poison  life  and  breed  disease  they 
win  condemn  them  and  order  the  very  ground  to  be 
disinfected.  If  they  ftid  that  ehikben  hmnt  no  {day- 
grounds  they  will  tear  down  factories  and  provide 
playgrounds,  and  will  consider  the  money  well  spent. 
If  they  find  that  any  set  of  men  are  making  merchandise 
of  giribood  tbay  will  order  the  magistrate  to  huri  his 
thunderbolt  and  end  this  diabolism.  If  they  find  that 
children  are  growing  up  in  vicious  ways  they  will 
establish  Juvenile  Courts  and  probation  oflBcers  and 
^iU  thus  save  the  young  from  a  criminal  life.  If  they 
find  that  children  are  foroed  into  mines  and  fsotories 
to  labour,  they  will  enact  legislatioa  forbi^ing  tmeh 
labour  and  will  seek  to  create  better  economic  conditions. 
If  they  find  that  great  estates  are  increasing  from 
gMMRMioB  to  the  disMlTar.tage  and  the  disinheritance 


TBI  mXBOD  or  flOOIAL  AOnON  149 

of  the  many,  they  wUl  invoke  the  authority  of  the 
itate  to  end  this  abase.  If  they  find  that  the  natural 
resooroes  of  the  earth  are  falling  into  a  few  ^ 
that  a  few  own  all  the  land  while  the  many  are  aliens 
in  the  hind  of  their  birth,  they  will  ask  the  state  to 
▼iadioato  the  principle  of  eminent  domain  and  to  change 
this  order  of  thingi.  If  there  k  social  deterionlioii  tt 
any  point  owing  to  uncertain  employment,  low  wi^m 
and  excessive  toil,  they  will  consider  the  causes  of  these 
things,  and  will  seek  to  find  a  remedy.   If  there  is  a 
kige  dsM  without  true  inharitanoe  in  life  they  will 
seek  through  social  action  to  renew  the  opportuaitiei 
and  redistribute  the  advantages,  "  so  that  every  child 
ahall  come  from  the  cradle  to  a  fresh  world  with 
fineah  incentives,  not  to  one  overworn  and  used  up 
for  him  by  the  erron  of  past  genoratioiM.'*  *  That 
a  single  human  soul  made  for  knowla^  ai^  powir 
should  Uve  neglected  and  die  ignorant,  they  wfll 
^  a  tragedy  whether  it  happen  twenty  timea 
m  ft  minute  or  only  oooe  in  a  generation.  That 
wtBtj  child  bom  into  the  woadd  siioald  have  a  good 
ftrfr  chance  for  life  and  a  fair  inheritance  in  society, 
they  will  assert  as  a  fundamental  principle,  and  by 
united  action  they  will  seek  to  eatabliah  in  their  social 
lystem. 

In  fine,  the  men  who  are  seeking  tha  ktagdam  «l 
God  on  earth  will  not  be  satisfied  that  there  shall  be 
unprivileged  souls  doomed  from  birth 
to  poverty  aad  rin,  and  disbarred  by  conditions  beyond 
their  control  2roin  the  best  things  in  life;  and  what  is 
more  they  wiU  not  rest  tiU  they  have  created  MWh 
oonditiona  in  society  as  shall  make  possibl*  for  mmy 


150      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHBIST2A27ITy 

one  of  iti  mmbm  a  fall  worthy,  himuai  lad  man] 

life.' 

It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that  social  reconstruction 
it  BO  rabstitate  for  personal  regeneration.   It  is  obvioui 
thftt  no  Golden  BocUfty  oaa  be  built  out  of  men  with 
leaden  instincts.   That  feeding  men's  bodiee  may  not 
mean  their  spiritual  renewal  we  all  know;  that  the 
creation  of  better  social  conditions  may  not  be  the 
equivalent  of  the  kingdom  of  God  we  all  confess. 
But  it  cannot  be  too  ttrcmgly  aeierted,  none  the  len^ 
that  social  reconstruction  may  do  much  to  mould  the 
lives  of  men  for  the  kingdom  of  God.   It  ought  to  be 
aocepted  as  a  social  axiom  that  men  are  more  likely  to 
grow  up  strong  and  clean  and  moral  and  good  in  clean 
and  helpful  conditions  than  in  fotil  and  immoral  ma- 
roundings.   Good  social  conditions  make  for  a  good  li^ 
as  bad  social  conditions  make  for  a  bad  life.   An  im- 
m<mtl  envinmment  usually  means  an  inunoral  hfe,  while 
a  good  enTirraunemt  rarely  pitnw^  a  good  lite.  Tbe 
fact  is  every  element  and  factor  in  man's  environment 
has  some  influence  upon  character,  either  for  good  or 
for  ill,  and  hence  it  has  a  moral  and  spuitual  signifi- 
oeaoe.  The  men  who  tee  <mly  the  sorfooe  of  things,  the 
men  who  think  they  are  spiritoal  and  rnmlrtk  of 
■odal  reform,  have  scant  patience  with  all  such  ^orts 
ai^  declare  that  the  social  worker  is  dealing  only  with 
mattfial  things.   But  the  men  who  see  into  the  heart 
of  reality,  the  men  who  view  all  objeotive  fhhigs  in  the 
light  of  their  human  and  splritaal  aignifioance,  know 
that  everything  that  concerns  man  has  a  divine  and 
spuitual  value.   They  know  that  the  work  of  creating 

'  For  »  fuller  diaeaaion  of  tluM  qoMtioiM  the  reader  ie  rafc>/ed  to 
th*«iter>i«lhir  book,  "The  ChrioliMiStMe,"  Ghivtm  zm,  ZIT. 


OF  800UL  ACnoV  Ul 


fit  oowdHioM  for  human  lives  greatly  fooilitates  the 
vrork  of  personal  aalvalkiii  and  eharaoter  hafldlQg. 

They  know  that  by  taking  up  stumbling-blocks  out  of 
the  way  of  the  people  we  can  make  it  eaaier  for  men  to 
do  right.  They  know  that  the  work  of  making  straight 
paths  for  men's  feet  is  (me  way  of  helping  and  healing 
them.  They  know,  in  fine,  that  by  i»ondiBg  for  all 
the  conditions  of  a  full,  worthy,  human,  moral  life  they 
can  greatly  accelerate  the  redemption  of  vmn  and  the 
ooming  of  the  kingdom. 

IIL  The  Oomoious  aitd  Colleotivs  Emxr  to 

Save  Society 

Implied  in  what  has  been  said,  growing  out  of  it  and 
applying  its  suggestions,  are  some  items  that  are  all 
important.  The  salvation  of  the  wotld,  the  q| 
the  kingdom  implies  much  more  than  the  making  of 
good  individuals.  The  fact  is,  as  we  shall  see,  the 
salvation  of  the  individual  and  the  making  of  good  men 
imply  and  demand  aooial  oooditioaa  and  social  action, 
as  well  as  individual  effort  and  initbiivtt.  a»<i  tba 
fact  is  that  society  needs  saving  as  much  as  the  in- 
dividual, and  in  the  long  run  the  power  of  Christianity 
in  saving  the  faidividnal  will  be  measured  by  its  power 
in  nving  aooiety.  We  auuk  thenfocv  in^  and 
arouse  men  to  undertaks  oonaeioMly  and  ooUeotivefy 
the  work  of  social  salvation. 

1.  In  this  work  of  social  salvation  there  are  several 
thingi,  some  negative  and  aome  positive,  that  must  be 
taken  into  a<!count  in  any  larg«  and  oorapreheniiv* 
program.  For  one  thing,  negatively,  the  work  of 
social  redemption  cannot  be  done  by  individual  work 
with  individiiak.  Thia  work  is  vital  and  necessary  and 


16«      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 

it  most  never  be  minimized ;  but  at  best  it  is  but  a  part 
ot  the  whole  and  a  means  to  an  end.   By  all  means  let 
every  sodal  worker  hid  *  hewiy  Oodqieed  to  the  soul 
wmner  who  is  seeking  out  single  individiials  and  fa 
loving  tbem  into  the  kingdom.  Would  that  aU  of 
God's  people  had  what  is  called  a  «  hunger  for  souls  » 
•nd  did  aome  of  this  blessed  work.  And  yet  soul 
wmners  alone  can  never  eDinre  the  ?edemption  of 
society  and  bring  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  Again,  this 
vjork  cannot  be  done  by  gospel  evangelism  alone 
This  also  18  a  most  vital  and  necessaiy  part  of  the 
gospel  program,  a  part  that  must  never  be  neglected. 
In  fact  the  neglect  of  a  wise  and  sane  and  oontinnoiis 
evangelism  on  the  part  of  the  Church  is  one  of  the 
SOTous  aspects  of  the  whole  situation  tonlay.  But 
after  all  this  item,  vital  and  necessary  as  it  is,  is  yet 
not  the  whole  of  the  Ohristiaa  program  and  by  itilf 
alone  it  can  never  fulfill  the  pmpose  of  Christ  or  mmsn 
the  salvation  of  society.   That  this  is  so  is  made  very 
phun  m  the  Scriptures  themselves.   The  Master  when 
sending  out  the  twelve  and  the  seventy  charged  them 
to  heal  the  sick  and  cast  ont  demons  as  well  as  preMh 
the  Good  News  of  the  kingdom.   The  apostle,  aJso,  in 
speaking  of  the  gift  of  workers  to  the  Church  gives  an 
honourable  place  to  the  evangelist,  but  other  workers 
are  named:  Apoeties,  prophets,  evangelists,  pastors  and 
teachers  ;  gifts  of  healing,  helps,  govemmenti,  divers 
kinds  of  tongues.'   By  all  means  let  the  Church  com- 
mission men  to  this  work  of  evangelism  and  by  all 
means  expect  a  succession  of  such  workers.   But  be  it 
remembered  that  by  wadk  mmoM  and  methods  alone 
the  redemption  of  the  world  can  never  be  umd. 


THB  MtTHOO  0»  BOCUL  ACnOM  108 

Nor  can  thto  wofk  be  doiw  bjr  the  wwk  ofnwue 
and  refonnation.  No  men  and  woiimi  an  antttled  to 

more  honour  than  the  workers  who  are  going  down 
fato  the  slums  of  our  cities  seeking  for  the  lost  and 
t|7iiig  to  win  tlwmbwjk  to  goodness  and  to  God.  But 
af^  all  this  work,  liowm  vital  and  Messed,  ii  not 
sufficient  and  can  never  ensure  the  coming  of  the 
kmgdom.   For  one  thing  in  the  work  of  reformation 
we  begm  too  late  to  make  sure  of  the  krgest  success 
Even  granting  that  the  soul  may  be  won  and  saved 
through  the  grace  of  God  and  the  patieiioe  of  some 
worker,  yet  the  life  is  lost  and  this  is  an  irreparaUe 
toss.   Not  only  so,  but  in  adult  life  when  habits  are 
ftwned  good  or  bad,  life  has  its  bent  and  it  is  tenfold 
inore  difficult  to  win  and  wfonn  Uie  lilb.  Aaamatter 
of  fact  wd  might  place  a  rescue  mission  at  emr  straet 
ooraw  in  the  city ;  yet  if  we  stop  here  and  do  nothing 
to  Ibnn  and  shape  the  life  our  efforts  wiU  faU  far  short 
<rf  the  kigett  raooess.  Fkeformation  is  just  as  Chria. 
tian  as  refonnation  and  it  is  jott     nnnnsnaij  .  One 
former  is  worth  ten  reformers. 

In  a  more  positive  way  there  are  several  things  that 
mnst  enter  into  a  working  program  of  social  salvation. 
For  one  thing  men  mnst  know  what  aie  thefacton 
that  enter  into  the  making  of  a  life  and  mnst  oo|. 
leotively  and  continuously  enlist  aU  these  in  the  work 

v.iJT^^P"**^  '^^y  "^"^^  <lemand  that  every 
cMd  shall  be  wen  bom  and  shaU  thus  have  agooi 
faor  stert  in  life.  They  mnst  create  aroond  the  Sow- 
ing Me  a  good  social  atmosphere  that  diall  edonr 
the  thought  and  induce  a  right  course  of  conduct 
Inmost  seek  to  shape  and  form  the  life  for  the 
«»g*»a  and  its  i^i^teoiwm  They  must  provide 


164      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBI8TIANITY 

for  every  penon  the  necessary  physical  basis  of  a  faU 
and  human  life.  They  must  keep  the  door  of  oppor- 
tnnity  open  before  the  life  and  must  train  the  person 
to  meet  and  improT»  th«  qvportunity. 

This  work  of  social  action  is  no  lest  Decenary  and 
vital  than  the  work  of  soul  winning  and  evangelism. 
By  aU  means  preach  to  the  person  the  gospel  of  self- 
help  and  aelf-amendment ;  for  it  is  a  needed  and 
necessary  gospel    There  will  alwayi  be  need  of 
teachers  like  Socrates  who  can  say:  ♦♦For  I  do 
nothing  but  go  about  persuading  you  aU  young  and 
old  alike,  not  to  take  thought  for  your  persons  and 
your  property,  bat  to  care  Sxtt  and  chiefly  for  the 
greater  improvement  of  the  sooL"  There  will  always 
be  need  of  evangelists  to  summon  men  to  repent  and 
declare:  "The  soul  of  all  improvement  is  the  improve- 
nwntof  theaouL"  But  none  the  less  there  must  be  men 
who  shall  emi^iadze  the  doty  of  locial  aervioe  and  civic 
betterment  and  shall  seek  to  create  better  social  oostoms 
and  political  institutions.   As  a  matter  of  fact  the  im- 
provement of  the  soul  is  possible  in  and  through  the 
improvonent  of  the  life.    In  the  laat  analysis  the 
improvement  of  the  sonl  ia  both  a  xesolt  and  a  came. 
The  improvement  of  the  soul  that  begins  and  ends  with 
the  soul  is  really  no  improvement  at  aU.   The  im- 
proved  sonl  must  mean  an  improved  environment. 
The  imiHoved  environmeot  makes  possible  the  im- 
Foved  BooL  And  after  all,  the  deeper  we  go  into  life 
the  move  evident  it  becomes  that  what  we  call  soul  im- 
provement is  the  utilization  of  opportunity  and  the 
mponse  to  environment 

2.  That  the  present  method  of  individnalistio  effort 
is  not  sufficient  and  that  it  contaics  no  pranisa  of  the 


TBI  MBTHOD  OV  SOCIAL  AOHKW  IM 

■peedj  ooming  oi  the  Uogdom  k  implied  in  an  eerlier 
ohapter.  The  pnotioe  <rf  obuity,  aimiag  the  rifjr 
feeding  the  hangry,  vidting  theprinocn^kMpiiigtliv* 

the  defective  and  dependent  can  never  permanently  ia> 
prove  the  race  and  bring  in  the  kingdom ;  nay  worse ; 
it  haa  become  very  plain  that  lome  o£  these  efforts  in' 
crease  the  very  thing  they  are  dflrigned  to  h«lp^  and  ft 
has  become  very  certain  that  much  of  this  effort  is  so 
misapplied  that  it  means  the  deterioration  of  society 
and  the  degeneracy  of  the  race.   Sickness  and  poverty, 
crime  and  miMry  we  hare  leaned  have  loeial  causes,  ae 
well  as  individual,  and  so  they  can  never  be  iii<««««mttil 
wholly  by  individualistic  action.   And  we  have  mm 
also  that  individual  work  for  individuals  has  not  pro- 
duced the  largest  rasnlta  and  so  gives  little  promise  of 
ever  bringing  in  the  kingdom.  The  fiujt  is  that  by  tlw 
method  of  individual  effort  alone,  that  is  by  dealing 
with  results  and  neglecting  causes,  by  considering  one 
futor  in  life  and  ignoring  all  the  others  we  can  never 
achieve  the  redemption  <tf  man  and  can  never  buUd  a 
Christian  social  order.   It  is  very  beantifol  and  CM- 
tian  to  build  churches  and  conduct  rescue  misadou ;  but 
while  we  are  neglecting  causes  and  n  re  saving  one  poor 
ontoart  a  down  other  girls  are  led  astray  through  igno- 
rance on  their  part  or  through  negleot  on  the  part  of 
society  and  are  sold  into  white  slavery.   It  i%  vary 
Christian  to  -i  se  the  sick  and  to  equip  a  sanitarium 
for  the  consumptive ;  but  what  have  we  gained  if  while 
doing  this  work  we  have  neglected  home  conditions  and 
have  permitted  unsanitary  tenements,  thxut  allowing  a 
dozen  other  lives  to  contract  the  white  ^iague  and  to 
doom  themselves  to  suffering  and  death  ?  It  is  very 
Cialitian  and  vwy  necessary  to  send  misionanM  to 


iw    THB  80CUL  TASK  OF  mmmiAmTT 

ChiiiA  and  Ahim,  but  whik  ^  CMtitn  ■ImIiwmIu 

are  making  one  convert  for  the  kingdom  tlM  ■giiili  rf 
the  opium  traffic  are  engnaring  a  doien  men  and  am 
livitiBf  the  chains  of  the  worst  slavery  upon  their  ^oub 

»  ii  ^  necewary  thrt  w»  to  iwre  loft  men  aiMi 
women  in  the  slums ;  bst  whOe  w»  «r»  HiviBg  om  kit 

man  a  dozen  children  are  gro    ng  up  in  demoralizing 

conditions,  «Ap,>setl  to  all  kinds  .  f  evil  sugge  ions  and 

fonning  habits  irhich  beoome  a  part  of  life  lUeif.   It  is 

very  right  that  we  should  preMii  «lw  gnpel  of  love  md 

should  work  for  iiidividual  souls ;  but  unless  we  do 

something  more  than  this  ai,d  seek  to  make  straight 

patha  for  children's  feet  and  to  mould  tbeii  lives  for 

tbe  kingdom,  a  imm  Mv««  wfil  be  wannid  a-  d  stained 

and  their  recovery  thus  made  a  bndMAiU  mof« 

difficult.   The  first  of  these  tiiings  men  oi^tode; 

bnt^e  second  of  thaaa  things  they  mmt  mat  htm 

la  the  mattar  «f  etty  mv^gnat  things  have  bees 
done  in  the  generations  past  and  m  ch  progress  baa 
been  made.   But  the  fact  is  the  methods  thus  far  fol 
lowad  have  not  saved  our  cities  and  have  not  prods>«5ed 
a  CbMan  dviiintioit.  To^y  in  soKjalled  Chru  u 
uam  it  km  opm  question  TTbrtiar  the  gnat  rhm  -9 
improving  either  morally  or  religiously ;  nay  there  ^ 
thoughtful  men  who  deckre  that  these  cities' arosk. 
(Hgonorating  and  that  the  churches  are  steadily  ImmK 
ground.   At  this  ni*e^      ow  pNHBt  maOioda,  the 
kingdom  will  not  come  in  any  nuMnrfito  tioM'm&et 
the  coming  of  the  kingdom  is  so  remote  that  it  c 
hardly  be  considered  as  a  human  contingency  Wh 
AaU  w»  do  tbanr  Ml  we  giv.  up  tii*  salvatioi. 
ttan  citka  md  ha  mrtrtid  to  m^mmimmiik^mci 


Of  SOCIAL  ACnOV  167 


thewreck  of  v  ^mMiing  world?  Sh&U  we  adopt  the 
■wi&n  el  wmm  /JWiiiltlenMriaiit  tad  lay  that  the  only 
thing  we  c  .  do  until  the  Lord  retnnu  it  to  prtwflh  tiM 
Goepel  for  a  witMM  and  giv«  ant  the  old  wodd  to  iti 

doom  ? 

eaanot  do  tula  w'^h^mt  disloyalty  to  Chriat ;  we 
cmaot  ipre     titm^  tmm  withont  ooofaning  hStan. 
t  tU^  we  win       adthiB  wemnafedo:  We  will  re- 

\  9  our  r  •  thod  •  eaJ  ^  our  plana,  and  w  follow 
*"^*^*'  *  kingdom.  We  will  seek  to 
Witoilaiul  ftg  ^  4atet  ar  into  the  making  of 
a  her^'^f^^  eavirofc^.Mt,  per  lOBal  wiU  and  dirine 
^rar  ,  and  r  ■]]  hen  enlist  them  in  the  work  of  social 
■ai  ^mm.  >  u^.e  tried  to  make  saints  in  LalL  We 
^1*  «f*  dd  men  to  live  saintly  lives  in  hellish  oon- 
4Uam.  i«c  hMa  forgotten  that  envirtHunaef  deter- 
aiHa  m  ay  thogs  in  life  both  before  and  ailMr  ooii> 
■  mskm.  We  have  forgotten  that  the  sav<  lie  db- 
maada  mfe  endronment.  We  have  triei  ave 
■eels  ^  ka^jdam  hereafter  when  we  are  ^  to 
8a  f»  the  Uvgdom  hwe.  We  ha^  for^  m 

tJ  is*  came  to  save  the  whole  man,  ipirit,  mind 
ai.  Mij,  for  this  world  and  for  every  world.  The 
taae  of  this  ignorance  Grod  may  wink  at ;  but  now 
He  ornnmanda  na  to  woik  in  a  wiair  and  more  fruitful 
w^.  And  io  we  will  give  inoreaied  attentka  to  the 
J'^e  of  the  family,  and  will  loi.iii  how  to  use  the  mighty 
<  of  heredity  in  behalf  of  race  development.  We 
I  change  human  conditions  and  will  denuind  a  bet- 
tei  enviroonunt  fur  mtle  duMren,  Ana  making  it  pos- 
sible for  every  life  to  grow  up  tall  and  stroogand  clean 
and  pure.  We  will  seek  to  provide  for  our  neighbour's 
children  the  same  conditions  that  we  ask  for  oar  own 


158      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAVnT 

ohUdren.  We  will  remember  that  no  man's  girl  ii  n|» 
till  every  man's  girl  is  safe.   We  wiU  remember  that 
there  will  be  no  pure  air  for  any  one  of  us  to  breathe 
tm  there  k  pore  air  for  the  least  of  God's  chUdien 
We  wiU  create  a  new  type  of  city  life,  and  wiU  seek  to 
build  from  the  ground  up  a  city  planned  on  Christian 
lines  and  built  after  the  divine  pattern.   We  will  pro- 
Tide  playgrounds  for  the  children  and  will  remove 
many  of  the  temptations  that  beMt  them  at  eveiy  turn. 
We  wiU  safeguard  the  growing  life  and  wiU  not  allow 
it  to  become  the  prey  of  human  harpies.  We  will 
break  np  the  girl  traps  and  will  close  the  comer  grog- 
gory.    We  will  set  ourselves  "seriously  to  inquire 
whether  it  is  neoessaxy  that  there  shall  be  any  so- 
called  lower  chisses  at  all ;  that  is,  whether  there  need 
be  krge  numbers  of  people  doomed  from  birth  to  hard 
work  in  order  to  provide  for  others  the  requisites  of  a 
rtfined  and  cnltnred  life;  while  they  themselves  are 
prevented  by  their  pover^  and  tdl  horn  having  any 
share  in  that  life." '   Too  long  we  have  neglected  the 
work  of  nurture  and  training  of  the  young,  the  conscious 
moDlding  of  lives  for  the  kingdom  of  God.   Too  long 
we  have  depended  npon  evangeUsm  to  oonvert  the  adult 
sinner  and  undo  the  results  of  years  of  negtoet  To- 
day we  must  resolutely  set  about  the  work  of  training 
and  shaping  Uves  for  the  kingdom.   T<Hiay  we  must 
woogo&e  the  fsot  tiiat  man  is  a  social  being  and  that 
sodal  causes  enter  into  the  making  of  Us  lif^  TUs 
means  that  we  must  surround  the  young  with  hdpfol, 
moral,  spiritual,  nourishing  influences.  This  means  that 
^*  life  in  all  its  powers,  relations,  realms 

and  tensss.  By  spending  our  time  curing  results  we 
*llsnMl, «' - --TimlM^"  iTiHi  I.  Tkt§tu  t 


IHB  METHOD  OF  SOCIAL  ACTIOH  189 

on  nmm  Ixring  in  the  Ungckaa  of  God  within  any 
measurable  time.  By  giving  our  sttntioii  to  mimm 
and  moulding  lives  from  the  start  we  may  •wwVrnttr 
the  work  of  redemption  by  leaps  and  bounds. 

8.  The  nlvatiim  ot  aodety  is  a  social  task  and  it 
demands  sooial  aotioiL  Individnal  work  fm  iiidividiia]s 
is  vital  and  necessary,  but  alone  it  can  never  ensoie  the 
salvation  of  society  and  the  making  of  the  kingdom. 
The  gathering  of  converts  and  the  building  of  churches 
ii  Ghristiaa  and  neoessaxy,  bat  this  alone  can  never  en- 
tme  the  redemption  of  man  and  tiie  progim  ol  tlie 
race.   The  kingdom  of  God  is  a  ooUeotive  ideal  and  it 
demands  collective  action.   Not  always  has  this  been 
nadflrrtood,  not  always  have  the  programs  of  men  been 
the  program  of  the  Idngdom.  And  the  x«mlti  of  this 
misconception  and  failure  are  seen  everywhrnln  (Ante* 
tendom.    In  the  cities  of  the  Christian  world— to  Mmi^ 
the  question  somewhatr-there  are  many  Christian  men 
and  strong  Ohiiitiaa  churches ;  but  thus  far  there  has 
been  no  Christian  canae  in  the  dtjand  ftortiiecity. 
There  may  be  scores,  perhaps  hundreds  of  ohuitshes  in 
a  city,  each  working  away  at  its  Uttle  task,  sometimes 
fighting  a  dogged  and  yet  losing  battle,  and  each  in 
iti  own  way  and  plaoe  seeking  the  salvation  of  men 
and  praying  for  the  coming  of  God'a  kiudom.  But 
thus  far  there  has  been  little  unity  of  effort  ia  »  km 
way,  no  marshalling  of  the  king's  soldiers  into  om 
•my  with  a  definite  and  comprehensive  plan  of  oam- 
pjigB,  no  utiliwtlon  ol  all  possible  xeeoareei  in  behalf 
of  one  common  end.   In  fact  many  good  men  have  aol 
yet  conceived  the  need  of  any  such  plan  of  campaign, 
"^/^J^^y  »ro  content  to  fight  petty  skirmishes  with 
BodeflUfeieniUi  wlMn  they  ought  to  be  in  one  army 


160      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBI8TIANITY 

Winning  battles  for  the  kingdom.  The  work  before  w 
IS  80  vast  and  so  comprehensive  that  it  will  require  the 
— I  and  rasouroes  of  aU  to  ensure  its  achievement. 


BonwtMng  maj  be  doiM,  fomething  is  being  done,  by 
the  present  individualistic  and  competitive  inetliodi  • 
the  largest  results  wiU  never  be  secured  till  there  is  a 
union  of  all  who  love  and  serve  in  behalf  of  all  who  sin 
ud  softer. 

4.  This  woA  can  oily  be  done  by  the  oort  iyBtem- 

atio  effort  on  our  part.  By  the  pmnt  oompefeftife 
and  haphazard  methods  of  to^iay  we  can  never  save 
the  cities  of  the  world  in  any  calcukble  time.  A  friend 
of  mine  deoUnd  that  he  ooold  determine  the  best 
residence  sections  of  any  Amerioaii  city  by  simply 
looking  at  a  map  and  noting  the  location  of  Um 
churches;  the  churches  are  most  numerous  where  the 
people  are  richest  and  fewest.  To^y  every  church 
has  a  roll  of  members,  but  Um  ohorahes  have  any 
definite  parish.  The  consequenoss  an  that  their  owa 
people  are  cared  for  while  the  great  mass  of  the  people 
outside  the  churches  are  neglected.  Between  the 
OMmbsidiip  lists  of  the  diurches  lie  the  great  nn- 
ohnrohed  masses,  unreMiied  at  ptessBt  and  vmadMOile 
by  present  methods. 

Another  consequence  is  th^.i  no  church  has  a  definite 
perish  whose  condition  and  need  it  is  expected  to  know 
and  for  which  it  is  direetly  and  pkinly  responsible. 
In  view  of  this  there  is  one  thing  for  the  ehnehii  to 
do  and  that  is  to  form  a  federation  of  the  churches,  a 
kmd  of  Church  of  Christ  for  the  city,  and  assign  to 
•Mil  ehmeh  its  spedal  district  or  paridi  over  which  it 
shall  exercise  a  Christiaa  wateiMtt*  aad  Ibr  whose 
•oeiali^yftitshaUdiNetlylabov.  ThHhjthtwi^ 


1HB  MBTBOD  OF  800UL  AOHDV  101 

ii  tht  meiaing  of  the  great  yiAm.  ot  the  prophet  of  tlie 
exile.   In  the  New  Jertualem,  nyi  the  prophet,  th« 
watchmen  cry;  thej  lift  up  the  voice,  together  do 
th^sing ;  for  they  shall  see  eye  to  eye  when  Jehovah 
TCtimeth  in  Zion.'  In  common  speech  this  aaoing 
««y»  to        liM  MOM  to  signify  raoondliatioii  and 
agreement ;  but  while  this  is  a  part  of  themetoingtlifii 
is  only  a  small  part  of  it.   In  the  thought  of  the 
prophet  it  signifies  rather  division  of  labour  and  co- 
opmtitm  in  work.  Aooording  to  the  prophet  there 
are  many  watchmen  in  tho  dty,  and  thej  all  work 
together  in  perfect  harmony.   Each  man  has  his  dis- 
trict and  he  keeps  to  it.   Each  man  knows  his  duty 
and  is  faithful  to  his  share  of  the  task.  Then  watch- 
man oodpcntet  witb  wntelunan  and  brother  helps 
brother.  The  watchman's  song  ii  tekien  iq»  by  Us 
neighbour  and  carried  from  street  to  street.   So  doaa 
are  the  watchmen  and  so  alert  are  they  that  all  to- 
gether in  unison  they  break  forth  into  singing.  And 
so  close  are  they  and  so  akrt  tbnt  each  wat(diman 
can  look  into  his  fellows'  eyes  as  they  meet  at  tho  snd 
of  their  beat.   The  city  is  divided  into  watchmen's 
disWots  and  each  man  knows  his  district  and  patrols  it. 
Ttew^gfc  aU  the  n|ght  best  touches  beat  and  watchman 
meets  watchman;  eye  loola  into        my  foot  of 
the  street  is  under  the  oversight  of  some  man  of  God 
Every  gate  of  the  city  is  guarded ;  every  comWr  is  ob^ 
••md;  there  are  no  unwatched  streets  where  an 
••my  can  hide;  there  are  no  souls  and  no  homes  that 
re  unwatched  and  unprotected.  By  unity  of  effort, 
by  cooperation  in  work  the  resources  of  all  are  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  need  of  each.   By  system  in  work,  by 

'iMiablTili.  a 


162      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRWTIANITT 

ooUective  action,  the  whole  oitj  is  blessed  and  the  wotk 
of  God  is  done.  The  vision  of  the  pit^liet  k  tbt  idetl 
of  Christianity  and  the  way  of  duty. 

Tlwre  are  aome  principles  of  sodal  action—social 
axioms  thfcy  may  be  oaUed— wiiioh  am  worthy  <d  can- 
ful  consideration : 

The  state  that  is  under  obligation  to  punish  and 
Nrtmin  the  oriminal  is  under  obligation  to  remove  the 
oaues  which  make  the  criminaL 

Tho  "tate  that  {mnkhes  immorality  most  teaob  no- 

nlity. 

The  method  of  prevention  is  a  great  deal  cheaper 
than  the  method  of  reformation,  and  it  is  also  mote 
Ghristian. 

The  Christian  who  confesses  his  obligation  to  deal 
with  results  must  confess  an  equal  oUuoUioa  to  deal 
with  causes.  — -» 

The  iMjger  the  immbar  of  intelligent  and  devoted 
people  in  a  city  the  more  obligation  k  19011  to 
make  their  city  all  that  a  city  might  ba 

The  things  we  ask  for  our  children  are  simply  the 
BHaaoie  and  type  of  the  things  we  are  to  ask  fw  all 
men's  children. 


Social  problems  can  be  solved  oafy  by  aodal  \ 
One  former  is  worth  ten  reformers. 
The  help  should  be  greatest  where  the  need  is  sorest. 
If  beaven  is  a  city  the  beat  prvparation  for  heaven  is 
the  practice  of  citizenship. 

Their  institutions  and  laws  are  a  people's  interpreter 
tions  of  the  Golden  Bole  and  tho  axtidfli  of  their 
 itialfnith. 


We  may  bert  RIB  op  tUi  aqwet  of  ov  wwk  Ij 
th»  panblo  of  tho  Good  SHButedowsto 


THE  MITROD  OF  SOCIAL  ACTION  168 

date.  In  the  parable  the  Muter  is  iUustratimr  the 
awamng  and  the  duty  of  neighbourliness ;  and  forever 
the  paraWe  ftwdt  m  the  perfect  interpretation  of  this 
principle    But  m  applying  the  parable  and  bringinir  it 
down  to  date  we  may  note  men's  changing  conoeptioii. 
^  their  duty  m  social  service.   The  Good  Samaritan 
hM  iflMMd  the  half  dead  man  from  the  Jericho  road : 
he  hae  tdcen  um  to  the  ian  .ad  hat  owjd  f or  him. 
And  now  what  shall  he  do  further?  YerteidayiaiB 
Ijt  him  build  a  hospital  in  Jericho  to  cL  for 
h»t  and  dying  travellers ;  let  him  equip  it  with  gentle 
^1        .«™"  ^  ^  ft«  the  flame  of  life  and 
bnng  tiie  sick  man  back  to  HlBL  Aad  for  eiritten 
hundred  years  men  in  the  name  of  Christ  hafSudlt 

""^  tenderness  they  have  cared 
for  ttie  iD^ortaittto  and  have  nnrwd  them  back  to 
hedth.  What  i.  Ae  Good  8««it«i  doing  toSlyl 
ile  is  going  up  to  Jerusalem  and  k  ott  4e 

police  to  clean  out  that  nest  of  robbers  and  to  mate 

as  in  the  past  he  is  creating 
wmrt.  tad  WMmg  prisomi  to  rertiain  an^ 
highway  But  wliat  wffl  th.  Cte^lW 

itan  do  to-morrow?  He  wiU  aooept  th*  dietan 
ttmg  have  causey  and  that  like  causes  produce  like 
cffeeti.  He jnU  discover  also  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  M  ««ii»faai  aatei^-  brt  that  what  men^ 
cnminal  nature  is  sia^  good  Mt  h»my  hiadled. 
He  wm  realize  that  every  society  has  themimber  and 

rtTJI  »  ooniewnoe  of  hfa  Mmdi  aad  discuss  with 
them  some  of  the  sad  fkct.  and  ask  what  aodeiT  do 
to  oraate  better  inflnenoeaammii ^mia^ nAtomn 


164      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITY 


them  from  ever  becoming  highway  robben.  "  Ckima^ 
my  brothers,"  he  will  say,  "  let  as  break  up  the  boy 
traps  in  oar  community ;  let  us  create  a  good  atmos- 
phere aromid  Cfrery  growing  life,  and  let  us  see  that 
tmrj  dtM  in  the  laad  grows  up  hoant  and  pme  and 
dean  and  good."  If  our  purpose  is  to  save  the  life  for 
the  kingdom  and  its  righteousness  this  is  the  wise  and 
Ohristian  course  for  the  Good  Samaritan.  If  pre- 
forauttion  is  easier  and  cheaper  that  reformaticm  the 
duty  of  all  social  workers  is  very  plain.  With  ewj 
ounce  of  weight  we  wish  to  emphasize  this  principle 
and  to  make  it  the  determining  principle  in  all  our 
fdans  and  programs. 

The  acceptance  at  this  prine^  will  woric  a  com- 
plete revolution  in  many  of  our  pla*"*  and  methods  to- 
day. To  save  life  we  must  beghi  at  the  beginning  of 
life  itieU.  To  save  life  we  must  have  a  social  program 
and  a  eoeial  oonaotaioe.  To  allow  the  life  to  be  mis- 
handled  end  warped  at  its  bflginning  it  to  detet  tlie 
very  purpose  of  Christ  for  the  life.  To  neglect  the 
incipient  life  and  hope  to  save  the  soul  at  a  later  stage 
is  as  unchristian  as  it  is  unwise.  In  fine,  to  ensare  ^ 
•■Ifatkm  <rf  the  life  we  most  go  behind  the  hidividnal 
tad  must  seok  to  create  a  Christian  social  order ;  that 
is,  we  must  seriously  and  collectively  undertake  the 
work  of  social  salvation,  by  Christianizing  and  trans- 
lonning  the  whoie  family,  social,  political,  economic  and 
indnstrial  life  of  man. 

rv.  The  Creation  of  a  Good  Atmosphebs 
In  an  earlier  section  we  have  ixmMered  the  foctor 
oalkd  enviroBment,  and  have  teen  that  it  pkyi  a 
de>iwiiiliiiiig  part  in  the  maUng  of  life.  Tb»  term 


THE  METHOD  OF  BOGUL  ACTIOV 


Iff 


environment  is  an  iaduiiTe  woid  wmI  eoven  all  tte 

objective  factws  in  man's  life.  But  as  generally  ued 
it  signifies  primarily  the  material  and  physioal  elements 
in  the  world  and  their  influence  upon  man.  We j 
•one  otiMT  tmrnrnMBk  ih«U  oeoooto  themarom.ju 
and  psychic  dements  in  the  environment,  and  »|rii«h 
though  less  intangible  are  no  less  real  What  we  call 
atmosphere  ooonts  for  much  in  the  making  of  life  and 
the  dfltenriMiiBm  of  conduct,  and  the  time  has  come 
lor  CauMiMwotlMn  to  MoognlN  thk  fbelor  and  in  » 
conscious  and  collective  way  enlist  it  in  til*  worik  of 
social  salvation.  In  fact  a  large  part  of  our  work,  as 
we  shall  see,  consists  in  oreatiiig  a  social  atmoniliwtt 
wUoh  iiial  iadnae  the  T%lifc  kind  of  lif  a 

1.   There  are  many  tlMBMte  enMig  ii^  tK% 
factor  called  atmosphere,  some  physical,  soom  mental, 
some  moral  and  religious,  and  all  are  inqnrtant 
Where  ail  are  vital  it  is  unwue  f or  us  to  tiy  to  ea> 
taUirii  an  ofdir  cf  ppteaimuu  Md  to  emphasize  some 
more  than  others.  Physical  oonditi<»ia  and  p^iHIfiil 
institutions,  the  economic  order  and  the  home  sui^ 
ronndingi  determine  many  things  in  every  life;  and 
ooNBt  ofrinioBt  and  social  sentiments,  the  ideas  and 
ideals  of  one's  time  and  piaot,  aB  tiiina  mtM  into  Ihe 
atmosphere  and  all  influence  human  life.   We  are 
learning  some  things  to-day— thanks  to  the  social 
psychologist— that  must  be  taken  into  aooount  in  all 
oar  thought  ef  am  and  his  progieaa.  Ftet»  aan  is 
one  and  his  life  is  a  unit.   SometimM  MBtewiMi^a 
thought,  and  so  they  have  broken  life  up  iMl.  ^arta 
and  fragments,  calling  these  parts  body,  mind  and 
Ipfait  8(»iMtinies  thay  have  arranged  tbsae  parts  in 
WHIN^  ^    .  • 


1«      TIB  aoCUL  TA0K  OF  CBBBBTUNITT 

E?'*!!;^^ ^  '^'^  ^*  *>y  it^-  Today  no  one 

who  tfiinln  at  aU  oan  think  in  such  terms  and  under 
woh  forms.  HaaiaaiiBit  life k aU m»  jriecei  In 
the  most  real  sense  the  whole  man  enters  into  any 
transaction.  No  man  can  be  helped  and  saved  by  tbe 

peoemeal  method.  Browning  haa  stated  thia  truth  fai 
■tnlmig  WQfdi: 

Let  u  not  always  say, 
"  Spite  of  the  flesh  to-day 

Aa  the  bird  wings  and  sinffs. 
Letnaery:  "All  good  thfngs 
"^S^P^'      ^^P*       more  now.  than 

There  is  a  opirit  in  man,  we  aH  beli»v«,  but  thia  spirft 
dwells  in  a  tabernacle  of  flesh  and  blood.  TMi  spirit 
makes  man  akin  to  God;  but  this  spirit  for  the  present 
hM  a  physical  basis.  Since  this  is  so  the  relation  be- 
tween spirit  and  body  ii  10  intimato  and  vital  that  it 
IS  mipossible  to  set  them  in  antithaifa  and  to  mwfcior 
each  by  itself.  The  spirit  has  a  certain  measure  of 
freedm  and  independence  and  can  guide  and  control 
tM  body;  bat  the  body  no  less  confines  and  limits  the 
■pint  and  determines  both  its  maHvm  and  ita  oliaiMt. 

2.  Every  item  and  element  in  man's  enviionnwot  af- 
fects and  influences  life  in  some  way  ajid  at  some  loveL 
^nges  in  the  weather  affect  man's  physical  and  .pir- 
ttoal  oonditioo.  Lyman  Beedier  used  to  say  thub  of 
course  he  relieved  in  the  persevenaeeef  UieiaintB  mc 
cept  when  the  wind  was  from  the  east  GMnI  inve«iti. 
gations  show  that  there  ia  a  larger  proportkaof  flrim« 


THE  MSTBOO  OF  •OCUL  AOTKMT  Uft 

of  violence  wbiB  tht  wwtiHr  b  hot  nd  dtpiwri^. 

Food  and  air  have  mnoh  to  do  with  man's  mental  a«d 
moral  life.   Some  of  the  penimiatic  and  jaondioed 
doctrine*  of  the  Church  may  be  due  to  a  disordered 
Hfve.   Ttmpmbaaita  in  TClorm«toiies  show  that  the 
worst  inooRtgibles  have  been  subdued  tad  oha^td 
when  they  were  taught  to  bathe  and  exercise  property 
and  were  fed  nourishing  ana  proper  food.   Many  a 
UMB  who  shows  traits  of  moral  deficiency  and  enanoy 
is  differing  quite     seretely  from  mal-nutriticm  and 
starved  lungs  as  fhm  monl  perversity  and  vkioai  dik 
position.   Between  man  and  his  environment  there  is 
the  most  constant  and  active  relation  and  reaction.  In 
tlM  last  analysis,  therefore,  because  of  its  influence  upon 
man's  whole  life,  body,  mlad  and  spirit,  everything 
at  bottom  has  a  human  and  spiritual  tj^^^nrt 
**  Everything  which  befalls  man  in  the  course  of  life 
and  every  day  bears  upon  us  in  some  way,  in  the  char- 
•ttUr  <tf»epbitDaldiioipline,  a  trial  of  our  temper  and 
disposition;  thus  everythfaig  devek^  in  w  IMings 
that  are  either  right  or  wrong."  •  The  work  we  have 
to  do,  our  companions,  the  air  we  breathe,  the  wind 
that  blow^  the  amiles  or  the  frowns  on  the  taom  of 
the  people  wa  aaat,  aU  jafset  our  spirits  and  deter- 
mine our  feelings.  The  life  of  man,  like  the  dyer's 
hand,  is  subdued  to  tha  ookw  of  tha  matsrial  ia  whkh 
he  works. 

"  Whate'er  we  see, 
Whate'er  we  feel,  by  agency  direct 
^  indirect,  shall  tend  to  feed  and  nurse 
Oar  iwultfee,  shaB  fix  in  eataner  seats 
Of  moral  strength,  and  raise  to  lofUer  Mghli 
Of  love  divine,  our  intellectual  souL" 


168      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

8.  The  atmosphere  ooloura  the  thonghto  and  d«. 
^mkw  the  life  of  eveiy  human  "Theatmo.- 
phere  of  the  home  mto  which  the  infant  oomes.  'the 
psychological  cUmiUe'  of  the  itat  yean,  the  hlurft^ 
traditions,  manners,  contagious  ideas  of  the  fiMiflv 

f^Lj^i^""  "^^^  ^  theconS 
Yrr'^ '^^'•y''^'^^^^  maris  »'  Whitman 

"  *»th  every  day : 

h?beS2e        ^  ^^^'^  o»>J«'* 
And  that  object  became  part  of  him  for  the  day. 
or  a  certain  part  of  the  day,  or  fiw  imS 
years,  or  stretching  ^elea  oi  jmnT 

*        *        »        *  * 

Hia  own  parents, 

He  that  had  fatheWd  him,  and  she  that  had  eon- 

They  gave  thia  child  mora  ot  Oma^m^ 
that ; 

They  gave  him  afterward  omr  diiy— thev  faa. 
came  part  of  him.  '  «v— «^  no- 

ort£^Lfli?r»:,'*"**"y  P*«^°K  tJ>e  dishes 
on  tAe  siq^nw  table ; 

u        words-clean  her  cap  and 
gown,  a  wholesome  odour  follins  off  Imp 

^'ij^S?i,tSSftr'-^^«*' 


TBE  warn  Of  aocui,  aotim  im 

Affection  that  wfll  aoC  b«  wIniM'il  Ihv  mm 
of  what  is  real— the  tfioMhiTtf  afta  ^1  It 

ahould  prove  unreal,  * 
The  doubts  of  daytime  and  the  doabfai  oi  niAU 

time— the  oarioot  whether  and  how, 
'^^^»^»»^yM%ppmm>ianfOri»  it  til 

*        ♦        *        *  ♦ 
Theae  became  part  of  that  ohUd  who  wtnt  fbrth 
evfc^  day,  uid  who  Mv  foai^  wd  wiU  m 
forth  6v«Ky  dajr." 

In  a  very  real  sense  man  ii  wlnft  hfa  nnooBdiBgi 

made  him  to  be.   The  ancestry  of  the  two  men  shows 
that  there  is  the  same  blood  flowing  in  the  veins  of 
Edward  VII  of  England  and  William  the  Emperor  of 
Germany.   Tet  the  one  ndghft  ait  for  Um  portnH  of  a 
typical  Englishman,  while  the  other  might  dt  for  the  por- 
trait of  the  typical  German.   Suppose  Abraham  Lincoln 
had  been  bom  and  bred  in  Mississippi  and  Jeflferson 
Davii  iMd  besB  bon  and  bred  in  sight  of  FaneuU  HaU 
in  Massachusetts.   In  that  case  Amsrioaa  l^toiy  woold 
no  doubt  have  been  very  differently  written.  We  ha,y 
learned  today  that  what  we  call  human  nature  is  not 
•omething  existing  separately  in  the  individual,  but  it 
is  rather  a  gioap  aatoM  or  primary  phase  of  society. 
*'  It  is  the  nature  vhioh  is  derelcqwd  aod  eo^nnad  fa 
those  simple,  face-to-faoe  groups  that  are  somewhat 
alike  in  aU  societies;  groups  of  the  family,  the  play- 
groottd  and  the  neighbourhood.  ...  In  theae 
everywhere,  hnmaa  nature  oomai  faito  eoEfatenea  Man 
does  not  have  it  at  birth;  he  cannot  have  it  except 
through  fellowship  and  it  decays  in  isolation."  •  Can 
the  idant  grow  without  air  and  light  and  sunshine  ? 

'  Ott»»j,  "  Sodiri  dguisttioii,"  p.  30. 


1»      TBI  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTUinTY 

No  more  can  man  become  aa  intelUgent,  moral  and 
•pWtotl  being  without  an  Intellectual,  moral  and 
jpintuUrt-oaplNi* 

be  heroic  in  an  mteoie  wwli.**  -Thii,"^™  j^o. 
fewor  Small,  "ii  an  overstatement  of  an  miliffnitwl 
2i"21°"J*  hi.  bert  in  a  world  miappmrfa- 
M   th«t  bart.  No  group  can  be  at  it.  beitina 
world  not  oorrwpoiidingly  at  ill  bert."'  In  hia  time 
John  Stuart  Mill  found  that  the  impiofwwt iat^ 
intellectual  and  moral  condition  of  numkind  mutt  bo 
forward  veiy  riowly.   "But  the  hindrance  is  not  to 
«»«wrtWeoiirtitetio!i  of  human miture."  Itiitobe 
f omid  in  the  fact  that  intent  fa  the  eoD»»  fiood  it 
at  preeent  so  weak  a  motive  in  the  generality  i  mm, 
"n^  beoauw  it  can  never  be  otherwise  but  bianaethe 

wwiiiff  tffl  i^t  <m  the  tUngi  which  tend  only  to 
personal  advantage."*  Men  are  aelflih  be«w» loeLr 
oxpeoto  them  to  be  such.  "Pick  ont  any  trait  you 
want  m  your  child,  granted  that  he  is  a  normal  chUd 

P^*^'  lovableness,  in- 
thrift,  what  not  By  inmmnding  this  child 
^  sunshine  from  the  sky  and  your  m  hMrt.  W 
gjfag  the  closest  communion  with  nature,  by  feedi^ 
tWi  child  well-baknced,  nutritious  food,  by  Vi^dnTk 
•",^*?^I^i»l«iW»fnle.vironm«;^^^ 
and  by  doiiy  it  all  in  love, you  oMi  tteioritivatota 
the  child  and  fix  there  for  aU  lift,  all  of  these  traits. » • 
*|The  recent  studies  in  the  subconscious  life  have 


^  •nd^aooentuated  this  vital  item  in  our  pro- 
and  aetliod  of  mm  nlvition.    Frof.  Wm. 


*"0«iena 


Sociology, p.  «7.        •    A««>k«mphT  «. 


THl  lllfW»  or  tOOUL  Aoim  m 


Jtmm  hm  fmliiilii  «  thtl  the  theoiy  of  the  «b> 
oonaoioiii  mind  ia  the  moet  iaqMrlMl  eoBtribolioii 

of  psychology  to  the  world  in  the  hut  fifty  yeen. 
Much  of  the  data  of  this  theory  is  yet  unohuHified  and 
MOM  of  he  ooneloaiQne  are  yet  tentative;  but  some 
tUttgi  we  Tory  fllMtf  aad  n^niflfliBt    The  world 
around  us  is  all  the  time  afTeoting  wm  tad  throiMh 
aU  the  avenues  of  sense  it  is  making  its  presence  knows. 
Soinfof  the  objects  in  the  world  we  see  and  are  aware 
«ff ;  nrt  it  is  rety  etiteit  that  our  eyes  «m  many  more 
things  than  our  Mfaditehiaeeorotof  at  the  time.  The 
'  >ld  of  consciousness  at  any  moment  is  very  wide;  but 
only  a  small  area  in  the  centre  of  the  field  is  directiy 
pwoeived.  Changing  the  Qgan,  in  every  one  of  us 
ttsra  ii  » levpr  life  thtB  ip»  know  and  larger  than  any 
manifestation  of  itself ;  but  al  the  tiBM  metariftli  fhaii 
this  subconscious  worl'!  are  rising  above  the  threshold 
of oonsoionineisaad mr.T into fuU view.  "Ourdear 
rnininliiiiaikciii  ii  ahraji  a    'e,  'on  from  an  enormously 
wider  stream  ci  mhxm'M  kms  or  nftdifferentiater' 
material  for  thought." »  It  is  quite  poiAle  that  aQ  of 
the  elements  and  factors  of  man's  environmeii.  re  - 

or  nis  mt  wfMtlur  ooasuiuus  or  snbconscioEis,  and  all 
determinmg  the  contents  aiM!  the  emnt  hb  ron- 
■oiouslifa  The  mind  of  mac  iHfiu- more  sensitive  than 
tte  moet  highly  sensitized  pliotographic  phtte  and  noth- 
In  tiie  environment  escapee  its  sight  Thouirhonlv 
a  veiysmafifiMtionof  th.  Mtfngi  seen  at  the^  are 
<™tly  perceived  by  the  consoknu  self,  yet  llbeyuntSk 
•  part  of  the  life  and  aU  affwt  it  in  some  way.  "  Many 
******  characteristics,  which  used  to  be 
"  ~aw  ia  ttw Spiritwa  WwU,"  p.  108. 


17i      THS  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHUSTIAinTr 

attributed  to  handity,  are  products  of  the  suboonsoiouB 
experiences  of  earij  childhood.    Actiong,  manners, 
traits,  habits  of  parents  are  subconsciously  imitatod  and 
the  Uttle  life  sets  itself  by  fortjes  which  are  never  eon- 
•otously  analyzed."  •  In  fine,  everything  that  enters 
into  th«  «viroiiiMiit,  the  things  seen  and  heard  at  the 
tune  and  the  things  not  seen  and  hood,  the  physical 
conditions  and  the  most  intangible  8entimen^  the  pio- 
tures  we  did  not  notice  as  we  paased,  the  faintest 
whaspers,  the  suggestions  of  good  and  the  suggestions  of 
evil,— these  aU  aro  dements  and  factors  in  the  atmos- 
phere, and  these  all  affect  the  life  in  some  way.  Then 
M  a  whole  world  of  interest  and  value  to  be  explored 
here,  but  enough  is  known  of  this  factor  called  atmoe- 
phere  to  indicate  the  work  of  the  social  worker. 

And  now  we  begin  to  see  the  i«!atioii  of  this  ftujlor 
to  the  work  of  social  salvation.  A  huge  part  of  our 
work  for  man,  perhaps  the  largest  and  most  potent  part 
-eoMists  in  creating  tuck  an  atmosphere  as  shaU  induce 
the  nghi  hind  of  life.  Would  we  have  men  and  women 
spontaneously  and  habituaUy  thmk  good  tboughts. 
cherish  the  right  ideals,  and  choose  the  wm? 

'^^mt^^  ^'^'^  up  in  an 

wnoflMwe  that  is  pure  and  good.  Would  we  have 
mm  and  women  accept  the  ChristiaB  life  as  a  matter  o£ 
oourse  and  find  in  the  kingdom  their  oonnal  home  f 
Then  we  must  surround  them  with  a  Christian  atmoe- 
phere  from  the  very  cradle  and  must  have  them  breathe 
iB  the  Twy  air  (rf  the  kmgdom.  Thus  far  we  h»ve 
given  very  little  attention  to  tUi  impartast  part  of  oar 
work;  tiius  far  we  have  not  been  careful  to  eliminaU 
irom  tiie  environment  of  the  growing  life  the  thiafi 
» Jmtm,  "Social  L»w  in  Um Spiiitnw  ^Vorld," p.  m. 


THE  METHOD  OW  SOCIAL  ACTIOV  lit 

that  mmy  loggect  diKxder  and  imparity.  Thnaftv  we 

have  not  seriously  set  ourselves  the  task  of  filling  the 
atmosphere  of  the  unfolding  life  with  things  that  shall 
suggest  holy  thoughts,  unselfish  conduct,  and  heroic 
Uving.  Here  ii  »  work  for  the  home^  the  ohuoh,  the 
school,  the  city,  the  itate.  No  greater  lervioe  oaa  be 
rendered  by  the  parents  in  the  home  than  the  creation 
of  an  atmosphere  which  shall  give  a  moral  and  relig- 
ions ookmr  to  the  lif&  No  greater  task  can  be  fulfilled 
faj  the  state  than  the  task  of  creating  soch  an  atmos- 
phere as  shall  make  it  easy  for  the  people  to  do  right 
and  shall  develop  the  life  in  purity  and  goodness. 
"Let  me  make  the  songs  of  a  people,"  is  an  old  saying, 
"Md  I  oare  not  who  makes  the  lawa"  Let  the  Church 
create  a  pure  and  good  atmosphere  in  sooielj,  and  all 
the  other  things  of  salvatkm  will  take  care  of  tliem- 
selves. 

y.  Thx  KoBiuziiro  or  thb  Ifnr  of  Qood  Wiu. 

Last  of  all  and  as  the  summing  up  of  all,  thete  ace 
several  things  that  we  mnst  do  in  ordsr  to  fulfltt  oar 
social  task. 

1.  To  this  end,  to  fulfill  this  task,  we  most  keep 
alive  in  men  the  hope  of  the  kingdom  of  Qod  and  mort 
hearten  them  to  seek  that  l"'"g4gm  and  its  r^teoiw 
ness.  At  first  glance  this  seems  commonplace  enougii, 
and  one  may  be  accused  of  using  trite  phrases,  but  this 
item  s%iiiflfls  niiidi  oiore  than  lies  on  the  surface.  To- 
day many  men  accept  the  idea  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
in  a  matter-of-fact  way  with  little  oonospkion  of  its 
tremendous  meaning;  the  second  petition  of  the  Lord's 
Fraytf  tripp  over  the  thoughtless  tongue  without 
awnkniag  in  man  any  sospiokm  of  its  social  s^gnifi- 


174      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUHlTr 

great  and  dime  system :  lie  kiok«fl  *u  , 

kinirlets  of  aai^h  o;,«k      St         beyond  the  little 

a  protest  against  the  evils  of  the  worid  Shefo^T. 

wligwiu  ud  customs.  Thev  w^^Jl.^^^^ 

conception  of^Se  ki^oTS  ttd^ST"' 
-^ds  Of  men  and  3Z  W.^e^?:;k^X' 

and  this  hope  of  a  iodetf  thrt  h  to    ^  ^ 

We  need  to  get  back  into  the  faith      Ml.  te^.. 

wantt  ft ;  and  we  Med  to  arouse  men  to  seek  tli«  wfc^o! 
kingdom  of  God.  i„  1*  time  ^S;,:^:^^^^ 


T8B  imaoD  or  sogiax.  aotiov  m 

tUi  my  oiMriy,  tad  ttfpdm  tad  igafai  1m  votet  his 

oonviotion.   He  believed  in  tbe  hiiyVnH  of  Ood  Mid 
he  was  not  willing  to  postpone  even  in  thoa^t  the 
fulfillment  of  his  desires  to  a  remote  millenniom  or 
Utopia,  sneh  as  in  the  minds  of  man j  men  acts  rather 
asareasoaloraeqaiMdiy  in  tte  eoiMii^  oidw  cf  tha 
world  than  as  a  motive  for  rising  abom  it  Hit  hurt 
was  stirred  within  him  as  he  saw  the  enormous  mm  cf 
evil  which  lay  undisturbed  because  so  few  dared  to 
Mioiowledge  the  identity  of  tfaeeaoN  of  reform  with 
the  cause  of  Ohristiaiuty.'  In  a  tetter  to  Mr.  J.  0. 
Coleridge  he  writes :   "  There  is  nothing  so  rovolnli(» 
ary,  because  there  is  nothing  so  unnatural  and  so  con- 
rMn  to  sodety,  as  the  strain  to  keep  things  fixed, 
when  aU  tlia  wcrid  k  by  the  very  kw  of  il^eiSrfa^ 
eternal  progress ;  and  the  causes  of  all  tile  •vfli  of  tha 
world  may  be  traced  to  that  natural  but  deadly  error 
of  human  indolence  and  corruption,  that  our  business 
ia  to  jnm  lu  aad  not  to  improva  It  is  the  nun  of  us 
all  alike,  individuals,  ioiioeli  tad  mUmrn.***  In  liis 
place  also  Frederic  Denison  Maurice  proteM  tpiM 
the  easy-going  contentment  with  the  world  as  it  is  la 
*         to  Charles  Kingskgr  ha  urges  him  to  write  "a 
ooBi^pHMa^ltMir  1^  tti  «^  aad  wroog  iim 
01  the  Biblo— I  mean  proteiAig  apdMt  Ifei  fllitai  if  / 
turning  it  hito  a  book  for  kMping  the  poor  in  fjrAtf.^t 
"P*^  inMUm  vigorous  protcet  : 
^  we  should  sUz/w  our  personal  gntitade  to 

»  «iiiiieiBt  tumplMnM  ot  things  as 
they  are.  Can  I  be  sftlMbd  with  being  op  wUli  » 
brother  is  down  ?  A  cune  oa  «p||||iB  if  it  mm$ 

» 8jM%,  Lif^"  Vol.  I,  pp.  ao7.  m        'Mt  sac 


17«      THl  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIAXITY 

o^t^t  with  a  system  which  keeps  any  mortal  of  us 
om  of  hii  guMhme.  A  Christian  soul  is  bound  by  its 
ymj  ooatnet  to  agitato  tiU  my  human  bein/has 
room  OTough  for  his  proper  ei^aadoo,  opportonity  for 
takinghisfiUoflife.-  Oneg^lrtpSof^SISS 
WOTlc  uto  keep  ahve  in  men  the  vision  of  the  coming 
ort«r  and  to  hearten  men  to  seek  the  kingdom 
<rf  God  and  Its  righto«»«.  OmtrntimA  wiSi  the 
worid  aa  it  It  mtj  be  twMoiiatyMfc  the  kingdom  Ql 


«.   To  accomplish  this,  there  should  be  in  every 
««mwity  a  group  of  people  who  ara  studying  the 

Me  of  their  community  at  firrt  hand  and  a»  iildL  to 
know  the  wiU  of  God  for  their  city.   For  mugromi. 
tarn,  men  have  cherished  certain  writings  as  saxjred 
BjyjiWi  and  have  studied  them  as  the  Word  of  God 
TlitoiiBiort  right  and  proper,  and  one  can  only  wish 
that  men  mjght  study  thme8oriptmmmonpmhtmtlr 
and  obey  them  more  resolutely.   Bat  we  need  to  ri 
mmber  that  the  God  who  ^fo  ig  the  God  who 
w»  BMd  to  remember  that  the  Bible  is  not 
!LT?^  of  what  God  <l«  but  it  is  a  sample  of 
what  God  (fow.   That  man  has  not  wad  Us  Bftia  to 

woort^  what  God  has  said  and  done.  He  only  under- 
•tends  Us  BIbte  who  Hads  in  its  histoiy  and  teaching 
illustration,  of  God's  will  and  mmfim  d  tha  tUngs 
Mforeverdomg.  We  need  to  remember alsoOiittho 
Bonptmes  are  pven  us  not  to  witness  for  a  past  and 
•OMnt  God  but  tor  a  present  and  working  God.  And 
we  need  to  remembsr^  ftufthcr,  that  tho  Scriptures  deal 
with  hanan  hves  and  hnman  iviatiQai^  and  tkat  ttea 


tarn  unma>  or  social  Acnoir  m 

man  haanot  ]»oM  the  mm^tZ 

^Ptures  who  suppoeeB  that  human  STSf  *^ 

1!^  JSl^-"^.!^"^  '^tions  in  hi.  own 
"««a«iiwoa  Ai»aiatt»<rffiM>theonlvhaalfl«ni«d 

Uie  true  ui«  of  the  Scripture  who  fiada  faflw^SS 
^  human  life  in  his  place  and  dlT  The^th^ 
hfe  and  human  relations  are  sacred  thin^ 

/T**"  r  ^  ^  Nazareth^ 

*^  iocW  and  political  con- 
tons  of  Israel  in  Solomon's  tin»  or  ia  O^Si  d^T 

^Sil^^^jJ^"!^  "^^^  study  the^^Si^d 
poUtti»l<«MlitioM  ill  oar  dtjrand  state  that  we  may 

We rtudy  the  conditions  in  which  Jesus  Hved1Sd«2^ 

J^*«lr-*  -ay  W  th.  win  of  G.KI 

«d  what  «  th. 
'-'^  ™  MM»  WMli  H?m  They  should  know  sonM*. 
tag  about  conditions  in  the  Ok^uoZ^^^^ 
tWj^wn ;  they  should  knoTThether  ^y^SSS^ 
^«n^dedwith  e^and  defiling  influenWwSS 
•  «o«itlifeimpoirihto;  thiyihooki 


178      TRB  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  OHBISTIANITT 


know  what  kinds  of  aooial  suggestions  are  being  made 
upon  the  growing  and  receptive  souls  of  the  young ;  they 
■houldknowKaMthiBg  about  the  indwlrial  conditions 
and  political  life  of  their  city ;  and  w»  dare  not  mj 
they  ore  either  intelligent  or  good  citizens  of  the  king^ 
dom  unless  they  know  some  of  these  things.  «  Down 
in  that  huck  street,"  says  Buskin,  "Bill  and  Nancy, 
knocking  each  other't  'teeth  out'  Dom  tiit  HMwp 
know  all  about  it  ?  Has  he  his  eye  upon  themf  Has 
he  had  his  eye  upon  them  ?  Can  he  oircnmstantially 
explain  to  us  how  Bill  got  into  the  habit  of  beating 
Kaneyalwiit  the  head?  If  he  oMinot^  he  is  no  bishop, 
though  he  had  a  mitre  as  high  as  SelMmiy  rteeple ;  he 
is  no  bishop." »  When  we  know  the  things  that  most 
vitally  concern  the  lives  of  the  people  we  will  thtn  be 
in  ft  poritkm  to  act  intelligently  and  fmitfuUy. 

But  this  knowledge  of  social  oondttfaoab  for  the  sake 
of  aotion  and  should  always  lead  to  action.  And  ao  thk 
group  will  seek  to  translate  every  bit  of  social  knowledge 
into  social  service.  These  people  who  have  studied  the 
8oilpiiu«i  and  know  the  will  of  God,  and  have  studied 
their  community  and  know  its  needs,  will  therefore  seek 
to  remove  bad  causes  and  abolish  bad  conditi<»is  in  their 
community,  and  to  create  good  conditions  and  set  in 
operation  good  causes.  They  will  go  forth  to  take  up 
stomUiBg^likMdB  oat  of  tiieir  ndg^iboan'  way;  they 
will  wage  an  unceasing  warfare  a^hnt  evwj  had  ea»> 
torn  and  institution ;  they  will  cast  out  of  their  city  the 
things  that  defile,  that  work  abomination  and  that  make 
a  lie ;  they  will  also  make  straight  paths  for  men's  feet 
lest  thatwhkh  is  lame  be  tnned  out  of  the  way  but 
that  it  may  rather  be  healed;  Hm^  will  nnmoliiwli 
'"SHMMMduuH"  "•^""-j^'ni— Iw." 


— ,  — >  .  tbt  nrMtiuu  of  better  Moti- 

ments  and  onstoms;  they  wiU«ikit»^nBl»»mrttlir 

and  more  helpful  social  atmosphei*,  and  to  BxunmA 
evejy  Me  with  more  nourishing  and  moral  influence.. 

5!f  "^S*^  "  ^  fulfillment  of 

th«r  faith  and  the  nil  Im  ffM' tof«  and  the 

of  their  knowledge.  a»e 
8.  We  must  inspire  men  to  live  and  labour  in  the  vi- 
■on  and  power  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  God.  We  have 
hMB  im^tiTfag  to  git  our  oun  ■oab  saved  ami  to 
prepare  them  fdr  Mfe  in  naw •Iteriiwid.  VekftM 
been  labouring  earnestly  and  fWthfully  to  mto  bmb 
from  sin  and  to  turn  them  unto  righteousness.  We 
ftavvoigaidnd  ehnrohes  and  have  toiled  and  prayed  to 

make  them  •traoff  Md  C!^^^         i   "1 

4.1,   1  '"'^  7**^^  ^  We  jHive  wept  over 

tne  lost  nations  of  earth  and  h.To  gitia  MT^tdna 
and  our  money  that  the  Good  News  might  beoarriidto 
•JJ^^eatomT^have  bufit  hospitals  and  have  or. 
"'I''*  ■niitrtii.   We  iM^e  oraosed  many  social 

evils  and   t^mn  la^m  iiif  tiijirtuLiTj 

wrong  and  oppressioB.   AH  this  is  mort  -mSfaii^ 

SS?*^'  71  ''^^       not  one  of 

tJlJjtogoonUwehavekitundo*.  Butnotone 

f  ^  «^  ^  combined, 

can  ever  fulfill  the  whoie  |iwpi  id  riliiiii  imi  [f^juTu 

the  kingdom.   Now  we  mnt  go  beyond  all  ofSLe 

things  and  have  some  comprehensive  and  Chrisfaan 

WOffma  eg  mtM  actbn  and  social  salvation.  We 

mujrt  seriously  md  camMj  ii»i«take  this  work  <rf 

buildmg  Christian  cities  and  of  tnuMfamiw  tke  ae^ 

ing  ideal  which  shaU  command  the  aUegiance 

«f  good  wfll;  we  aeed  mne  laige  and  podtive 


180      THE  80CUL  TASK  OF  CUBISTIAKITT 


program  which  shall  mobilize  men  into  one  army  and 
■end  them  forth  to  do  battle  with  the  ills  of  life.  One 
thing  is  certain,  we  never  ahall  see  Christianity  arise  and 
iloaiUi  in  all  it!  diTine  power  and  beauty  till  men  be- 
gin to  seek  the  whole  kingdom  of  God.  W«  nerflr 
take  hold  of  Christianity  in  its  largeness  and  power  till 
we  enter  into  its  fundamental  and  central  idea  and 
orauNdoiuly  and  collectively  seek  to  build  a  human 
lootety  aooocding  to  thediTiiM  pattern. 

4.   To  fulfill  this  task  we  must  carry  the  itaiidafd  of 
the  Cross  at  the  head  of  the  whole  column  of  life  and 
must  bring  the  whole  truth  of  Christ  to  bear  upon  the 
ptoUems  of  lodety.  We  must  honour  His  principles  in 
the  toda'  and  indostrial  life  of  the  worid  and  mnat  in- 
carnate these  principles  in  civic  and  social  institutions. 
We  must  fill  society  with  the  spirit  of  justice  and 
brotherhood  which  shall  produce  such  forms  of  oo- 
opentkm  and  equity  as  diall  ieenr»  the  prevalenoe  ot 
friendship  and  good  will  among  men.   We  must  oanj 
the  Christian  ideal  of  a  Holy  City  into  the  political  life 
of  the  world  and  must  seek  to  enact  such  laws  ss  shall 
be  the  human  traaioript  of  the  Adamant  Tables.  We 
moat  set  our  faces  like  fiint  against  all  social  ooitomi 
and  practices  that  are  evil  and  hindering,  and  must  seek 
to  create  better  and  more  helpful  customs.   We  must 
understand  the  real  mission  of  the  state  and  must  en- 
lift  the  mighty  machinery  of  govenimmt  in  behalf  of 
morality  and  progress.   It  is  not  enoag^  for  Chrirtiaii- 
ity  to  make  good  individuals,  but  it  must  also  teach 
these  men  how  to  associate  themselves  in  righteous  and 
brotheriy  rdattons.   It  is  not  enough  for  men  to  be 
hottest  and  oonniaitioiia  in  tbair  pmonal  livet^  tat 
thfljBUMt  bqgia  to  ineuoftte  thafr  hooMtjaad  oon- 


TBB  MBTBOO  OF  tOOIAL  AOIlOV  181 

in  industrial  systems  and  dvil  laws.  It 

if  aol         lor  CMtian  people  to  praaoh  the  Gospel 
aad  seek  the  salvation  of  souk,  bat  they  most  begin  to 
labour  for  the  salvation  of  society  and  most  seek  the 
whok  kingdom  of  God.  It  is  not  enough  for  men  to 
bnOd  ohnrabes  and  ooodnot  Sonday-sohools  and  dis- 
tribute tracts,  bat  thfljmiist  also  tako  op  atmnbUiig^ 
blocks  out  of  the  way  of  tho  people,  teach  them  how  to 
make  more  Christian  homes,  and  inspire  them  to  arise 
and  build  a  more  Christian  city.   It  is  not  enough  for 
u  to  have  goodness  and  kindness  and  brotherliness  in 
the  hearts  of  men,  but  we  must  incarnate  thew  TirtiMi 
in  social  customs,  in  political  institutions,  in  industrial 
orders  and  economic  systems.   Society  needs  saving  as 
mneh  aa  the  individual ;  the  purpose  of  Christ  will  not 
be  realised  till  we  have  the  perfbet  man  in  the  perfect 
society.    "Christianity,"  said  Lnaanael  Ji^ehte^  **k 
destined  some  day  to  be  the  inner  organizing  pow«r  of 
the  state  " ;  and  it  is  the  business  of  aU  who  believe  in 
Christianity  to  organize  the  state  after  the  spirit  of 
Christianity.    *<  There  is  in  human  aAifaa  an  oid« 
which  is  best,"  says  DeLaveleye.   "  This  order  is  not 
always  the  one  which  now  prevails,  but  it  is  the  order 
whfch  should  prevaU.   God  knows  it  and  wills  it 
Man's  duty  it  is  to  disoover  and  naliae  it" 

6.  To  fuLBll  this  task  we  must  also  aromo  aad  «a> 
list  all  men  of  good  will  in  the  work  of  social  reoon- 
•troo^n.  We  need  to  secure  a  union  of  all  who  love 
•nd  iSTTe  hi  behalf  of  all  who  sin  and  suffer.  The 
gnoeof  love  is  the  greatest  grace  and  the  TirtiiOQ<oo> 
operation  is  the  supremest  virtue.  However  it  wmj 
have  been  in  the  past,  the  great  duty  of  all  men  of 
good  will  to-day  is  the  duty  of  union  and  coopen^ioi 


ISi      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIAHITT 

in  behalf  of  the  kingdom  and  its  righteonauen.  The 
people  of  the  ohurchea  mnat  accept  this  duty  flmt  oi  all, 
•M  thtf  auMfc  vaUy  toA  fe^lente  their  foroea;  they 
mmt  mobiliae  thiir  Mban  and  matt  tUnk  of  each 
denomination  as  a  division  of  the  one  greal  araiy 
They  must  come  together  aud  must  make  the  Ein^i 
pnrpow  for  the  world  their  plan  of  campaign  iSey 
mnn  ttMB  iMk  towOtetheiiMMiofgoodwillineveiy 
community  in  behalf  of  oMrtaia  dafinita  and  pnotieal 
measures.   There  are  many  brave  and  earnest  men  in 
J^""^"^  ™en  who  love  their  feUows  and  have 
a  paMfen  tor  righteousness;  and  yet  many  of  these 
man  have  soaat  patianoa  wMi  tha  ohimhes  and  do  not 
confess  faith  in  Jeaoa  Ohriit  Theaa  man  baliara  ia 
honesty  and  justice,  and  they  are  ready  to  enlist  in  ba- 
JaW  of  good  practical  measures.  The  churches  owa 
ttaia  BMB  a  duty  and  it  is  this:  The  churches  must 
ramish  a  raUying  centra  tor  aU  right-thinking  men  ia 
the  community ;  they  must  seek  to  enlist  these  mm  in 
bdialf  of  social  righteousness  and  poUtical  progress. 
Than  are  enough  inteUigent  and  right-thinking  men 
to  tha  avarage  oomnnmity  to  tnuuform  it  from  top  to 
bottom.   Butahtt,they  arediTidadto^ybyaUkfada 
of  lines  real  and  imaginary;  and  worst  of  all  tha 
churches  themselves  are  not  united  and  so  thay  cannot 
unify  the  people. 

One  part  of  tha  ehorohas'  miiriott  Is  to  set  up  a 

standard  and  then  raUy  these  man  aronnd  that  itMd. 
ard.  The  churches  must  breed  a  generation  of  men 
aUa  enough  and  courageous  enough  to  deal  with  the 
vniB  of  sodaty  and  to  lead  the  social  faith  of  the 
people.  The  churches  of  to^y  Bead  a  large  and  eon. 
straoUve  and  oonqprehanaiTa  plan  ol  eampa^ga,  and 


TBI  MITHOD  Of  SOCIAL  AOTIDV  188 

Umb  thfljiMed  to  boUUm  thefomflf  i^^Immmm 
in  behalf  of  progreM  and  vkUaj.  We  may  not  bt 
aUe  to  do  eTerything  that  needi  to  be  done,  but  we 
MB  do  ■wntfihhig.  We  may  not  be  able  to  bring  in 
the  Idngdom  in  our  gwMration,  bat  we  can  woik 
definitely  towards  that  end.  There  k  ft  mukad  dU* 
ferenoe  between  the  better  and  the  worse.  There  is  a 
Tait  amount  of  remediable  wrong  in  the  world.  There 
is  many  a  path  that  may  be  straightened  for  men's 
feet  Any  effort  that  will  help  any  sool  in  any  way 
is  the  transktimi  into  deed  of  wmt  artiete  <jf  tht 
Christian  faith.' 


BiMni :  "  Tb«  Chrirtian  State." 
Waid,  and  otb«n :    Sooial  Minirtiy." 
Kellej:  "  Twentieth  Centwy  SodaliM." 
Waid,  L.  F. :  "Applied  Soeiolou." 
BHbt  "n«I>i{yobo]qg7of  Bnneetfoi." 
DnBois  :  "  The  Netnnl  Way." 
FMlM :  "  The  New  Baaia  ct  CirUintioii." 


'  8m  lipMAIs  ior  8Misl  toviM  PMps^ 


MICROCOPY  RfSOlUTION  TEST  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


A    /APPLIED  IIVMGE  Inc 


165 J  East  Mam  Street 

Rochester,  Ne»  Yorl<      14609  USA 

(716)  482  -  0300  -  PhoM 

(716)  288-3989  -Fm 


VI 


THE  CBIBIB  AND  THE  OPPOBTTJNITT 

IN  these  times  there  are  many  students  of  human 
affairs  who  declare  that  Christianity  is  passing 
through  the  great  crisis  of  its  long  history. 
« Western  civilization,"  says  my  friend  Prof.  Walter 
Rauschenbusch,  "is  passing  through  a  social  revolution 
unparalleled  in  history  for  scope  and  power."  *   «  We 
are  to^lay— without  most  of  os  being  aware  of  it— in 
the  midst  of  perhaps  the  greatest  revolution  the  ages 
have  seen.   The  social  order  which  has  served  us  and 
our  fathers  for  uncounted  centuries  is  dissolving  before 
our  eyes.  And  religion,  in  the  forms  we  have  known  it, 
IS  dwring  in  the  dissolution."*  «  The  Church  is  to^y 
facing  the  most  serious  crisis  in  its  history ;  and  if  this 
crisis  is  not  successfuUy  passed,  a  calamity  will  befaU 
the  human  race  of  the  most  momentous  character.  It 
w  not  a  crisis  that  pertains  primarily  to  any  particular 
form  of  creed,  ritual  or  organization.   It  involves  the 
existence  of  the  Church  itself ;  and  bound  up  with  the 
Church  are  the  spiritual  interests  of  mankind,  so  vast, 
■o  precious,  so  essential."'  The  signs  of  the  times  in- 
dwate  that  stormy  years  are  ahead  of  us,  and  the 
Church  is  about  to  witness  an  attack  upon  the  ftnida. 
mental  Christian  positions  to  which  previous  history 
furnishes   no  paraUel.    "That  conflict  wiU  efltel 

*  "  Chrittianity  and  the  Social  Criais, "  Cbaptar  XI. 
'BtUtiaj,  "  SidaUghti  on  Eeligion, "  p.  270 
■OsQlHr,  "na0h««b«l'ivda7,'»p.asi 


THE  CBISIS  AND  THE  OPPORTUNITT  186 

enormous  changes,  not  so  much  in  the  faith  itself,  as 
in  the  formt  it  will  take,  and  the  reasons  in  men's 
minds  for  holding  it" ' 

On  all  sides  we  find  many  men  doubting  in  thiir 
hearts  whether  Christianity  is  not  played  out  and  must 
soon  become  extinct.  Many  are  debating  whether  the 
decline  of  all  religjons  has  not  ocnne,  and  with  it  the 
end  of  men's  immortal  hopes.   Some  time  ago  the 
Chretien  Frangais  gave  an  account  of  a  remarkable 
meeting  held  in  the  Trocadero,  in  Paris.   It  was  a  wet 
Sunday  erening  when  the  churches  were  empty  be- 
cause of  the  storm.  And  yet  the  vast  hall  of  the 
Trocadero  with  a  seating  capacity  of  five  thousand  was 
packed  to  the  doors  with  an  enthusiastic  and  applaud- 
ing audience.   The  occasion  was  an  atheistic  demon- 
stration in  whkh  tiie  speakers  poured  scorn  on  "the 
dead  god  on  whom  the  priests  liva^"  while  saluting 
justice,  the  moral  ideal  and  the  new  social  order.  In 
all  the  nations  of  Europe,  the  lands  where  Christianity 
has  been  longest  known  and  most  dominant,  we  wit- 
ness the  genend  Twdtk  at  the  peojde  from  the  ohurches. 
In  addition  to  this  in  all  knds  to4a.y  a  great  movement 
is  going  on  among  the  people  that  has  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  a  religious  movement ;  indeed  mil- 
Ikms  of  men  declare  that  it  is  their  religion,  and  that 
it  is  a  good  substitute  for  Christianity.  Sooklkm  is 
the  creed  of  millions  of  men  to-day ;  and  yet  Socialism, 
many  of  its  leaders  affirm,  is  the  avowed  enemy  ol  the 
churches. 

In  these  times,  as  every  one  knows,  there  is  a  wide- 
spread  uncertainty  concerning  the  foundations  of  the 
Christian  faith  and  the  credibility  of  the  CSiiirtiaa 


186 


THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHSISTIAllITr 


Soriptnree.  Kot  a  few  ndkal  speaken  ind  initen 

bluntly  declare  that  the  Bible  is  a  discredited  book  and 
must  no  longer  be  regarded  as  authoritative  and  divine 
Its  historic  a<5curaoy  is  questioned;  its  inspiration  is 
flatly  denied ;  the  authonh^  ol  many  of  its  books  is 
m  doubt ;  and  the  human  origin  of  its  writinn  is 
positively  affirmed.   On  th^  part  of  many  of  the  prople. 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  churches,  there  is  a  grave  sus- 
^on  that  some  flaws  have  been  found  in  the  founda- 
tions of  the  faith,  flaws  it  is  said  which  the  preachers 
are  vainly  trying  to  conceal,  but  flaws  whioh  are  be- 
comaig  patent  to  all.   And  many  are  saying— both 
within  and  without  the  ohurchcj^that  the  Church  as  it 
now  exists  is  an  outgrown  institution  and  is  out  of  a 
job ;  in  fact  some  declare  that  there  is  little  rmmm 
why  it  should  any  longer  be  called  Christian.  Some 
years  ago  Professor  Bruce  said :    « I  am  even  disposed 
to  ^link  that  a  great  and  steadily  increasing  portion 
of  the  moral  worth  of  society  lies  outside  the  Church, 
separated  from  it  not  by  godlessness,  but  by  &xoeptk». 
ally  moral  earnestness."  In  America  and  England  at 
this  time  many  earnest  and  devoted  churchmen  confess 
that  they  see  but  little  future  for  their  church.  And 
all  this  it  may  be  said  is  not  so  mneh  a  question  oon- 
oeming  any  book  in  the  Bible  as  concerning  the  very 
vaUdity  of  the  Book  itself.   It  is  not  so  much  c  ubt 
concerning  any  special  doctiines  of  Christianity  ai 
oonoeniing  the  very  Talne  of  Christianity  itself. 

We  are  living  in  a  new  age  with  new  ways  of 
thought  and  with  new  problems  to  meet.  Can  Chris- 
tianity solve  tiiese  problems  and  meet  these  needs? 
Canit  produce  adequate  results  in  this  twentieth 
owtmy  tad  dlaooe  all  these  questionings?  Do  the 


THE  CRISIS  AND  THE  OPPORTUNITY  187 

Scriptures  bring  a  living  and  potent  message  to  the 
men  of  to-day  and  can  they  authenticate  themselves  in 
the  oouakHmMBB  of  the  modem  worid?  Can  the 
churches  bearing  the  name  of  Chxkk  npett  and  con- 
tinue the  works  of  Christ  and  thus  demonstrate  their 
right  to  be  called  Christian  ?  This  fact  may  be  noted 
for  it  is  vital:  The  evidences  which  revealed  the 
power  of  Ghristiaiiily  in  <me  age  and  proved  ita  divine 
origin  are  not  suificient  to  demonstrate  its  divine  origin 
and  to  satisfy  the  thought  of  to<iay.   First  century 
results  were  sufficient  for  first  century  evidences; 
twentieth  centniy  results  must  constitute  twentieth 
oentiny  evidences.  The  fact  that  Ohiistianity  once 
was  a  power  in  the  world  is  interesting  as  a  mattar 
of  history,  but  this  means  little  to  us  of  this  latter  age. 
Oh,  that  Qod  would  do  something  in  our  time,  cried 
Gariyle;  <^  tiiat  He  would  show  that  He  is  alive  to- 
day. Belief  in  God  must  be  moro  than  a  matler  of 
historic  records,  a  tradition  of  past  achievements,  a 
memory  of  departed  glory.  The  world  to-day  wanta  a 
Living  God,  one  who  is  in  the  world  now  and  is  doing 
great  things  today.   And  this  demand  is  frir  and  just; 
for  according  to  the  Master  tiie  test  of  fruits  ia  the 
final  test.   By  their  fruits  we  are  to  know  the  true 
from  the  false,  whether  in  Uves,  churches,  Bibles  and 
religions.  Ai^  the  truth  of  religion  must  be  found 
in  itadf  and  not  in  other  thinga;  for  the  Ifaater 
everywhere  assumes  that  the  truth  of  God  is  ita  own 
sufficient  and  surpassing  evidence,  and  the  divine  word 
carriea  within  itself  the  proofs  of  its  divine  origin.  If 
we  are  to  have  a  twenttotii  century  faith  we  moat  have 
twentieth  century  credentials. 
The  gnat  need  at  to4ay  it  aome  I'Hw  aad 


188      THB  SOCIAL  TAfil  OF  CBSIBTUMITr 

Vising pKH)f  that  Clirirtiamtyia<rfQoA  Thegreat 
need  in  this  hour  is  some  new  evidenoe  that  tiM 
Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  the  salvation  of 
^ety    The  gr^at  need  of  men  is  some  new  enthS. 
^  in  life  which  diall  set  their  hearts  aflame  with 
hope  and  shaU  set  thehr  f^  marohing  towaidi  th« 
mount  of  vision.   We  have  consid^ed  in  the  mriZ 
chapters  the  problems  of  to^y  and  have  been  brought 
feoe  to  fece  with  the  new  task  before  the  Christian  dis- 
apl«hip.    We  have  considered  in  the  Liter  chaptem 
some  of  the  things  that  are  implied  in  this  toS 
and  some  of  the  methods  that  must  be  employed, 
nte  new  task  to  which  the  believers  in  Christianity 

^^hi  ^  TT^  ^  «>l'^*io"  of  the  sociS 
problem  and  the  building  of  a  better  and  more  Christilm 
type  of  human  society.  In  the  fulfiUment  of  this  tide 
the  Christian  discipleship  will  furnish  tiie  new  ere- 
toitiato  that  are  needed  to  satisfy  the  inquiries  of  men ; 
they  will  show  the  real  and  essential  nature  of  Christ 
tiamty ;  they  will  waken  in  men  a  new  enthndian  in 
Me  and  service,  and  they  wiU  achieve  great  result,  for 

We  cannot  discuss  these 
tMngs  to  detail,  but  we  must  note  a  few  items  that  an 
iin0iedinthitund«rtsUng. 

I  Th«  N«w  Orbdentials  OF  Chbistianitt 
The  questioning  of  to^y  is  not  so  much  questioning 
ooncernmg  tMs  or  that  book  of  Scripture,  Sui  or 
form  of  church  organization,  or  this  or  that  doctrine  of 
Chnstiamty  as  questioning  concerning  the  value  of  tiie 
&2^J^«^«cessity  of  the  Church  and  the  very 
•wtewt  «f  Chiktianity.  The  credentials  that  are^ 


THE  OBmn  Ain>  the  opportunity  189 

fered  must  meet  all  of  these  questions  and  oover  all  of 
thflM  objeotbns. 

1.  Tb»  Soiplures  most  ptore  thair  valm  by  their 
powv  to  help  men  where  they  moat  need  help.  With 

reference  to  the  writings  in  the  canon  we  may  note  that 
the  uncertainty  in  the  minds  of  mea  to^y  grows  out 
of  the  iMt  that  these  writiBgi  do  not  authenticate 
themselves  in  the  conscionsnw  of  men  as  <»ioe  tiiej 
did.  However  it  may  have  been  in  the  past  these  writ- 
ings have  lost  a  certain  validity  and  value  to  the 
modem  man ;  and  the  reason  for  this  is  not  far  to  seek : 
At  these  writings  have  been  read  and  tan^t  they  have 
not  met  man  at  the  point  of  his  deepest  need,  and  io 
they  have  not  brought  with  themselves  the  evidence 
that  they  proceeded  from  the  Spirit  of  God.   To  the 
mind  and  heart  of  the  early  Church  certain  writings 
authenticated  themsrivee  and  spoke  with  aa  anthori^ 
from  which  there  was  no  appeal   For  these  wi  tinge 
spoke  home  to  the  consciousness  of  the  early  disciple- 
■hip  and  met  man  at  the  point  of  his  deepest  need. 
These  writingi  were  found  profitable  for  doctrine,  for 
InstructioB,  for  correction,  for  gnidaooe^  and  inea  kneir 
that  iheare  was  in  them  a  divine  life  and  power.  Aiul 
so  they  called  them  sacred  writings  and  accepted  them 
as  a  revelation  of  God's  will  This,  as  Coleridge  long 
ago  pointed  out,  is  the  final  and  sniBotot  test  of  the 
Scriptures.   «  Whatever  finds  me,  bears  witness  for  it- 
self that  it  Las  proceeded  from  the  Holy  Spirit." 
Again:  «The  truth  revealed  through  Christ  has  its 
evidenoe  in  itaeU;  and  the  proof  of  its  divine  authority 
iaitifitBeiato  ovr  uHire  and  needs.** ' 

•ad  IT.  ' 


m     THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CBUITUmTr 

How  Ota  we  meet  the  qnartfaoi  tlirt  hiiw  ariwn  in 

our  tune  oonoeming  these  bookg,  their  ianimtiou. 
oanonidty  their  value?  The  old  aTguS^tefw  the 
wr^wnwt  have  little  meaning  to  the  men  of  to^y 
ferwe  h»fe  cone  to  lee  that  no  mere  logical ai»a! 
men^  no  external  mr^  no  eatr»«>iritoal  ofteriaia 
be  adduced  to  verifr  ^  authenticate  a  direct,  inwaid. 
iii^  lTlStS^'l  fievelation  is  light.  ItdoeenS 
BMd  that  whioh  ii  apart  from  itself  to  throw  an  illu- 
mmtionupoait  It  hi.  the  .df^dendng  miture  of 
fz:  authority aad dMaitr 

^  the  Scnptures  must  be  found  in  *Veir  power  to  pro. 
Aioe  direct  and  divine  results.  Th  ^ious  writing 
the  canon  anthentioated  themselves  in  the  oomwioufflwi. 
of  the  early  Church  because  theyipoka  hometo  tha 
Heart  and  conscience  of  men  and  met  their  needs  and 
i^ed  th^  problems.  This  wm  the  final  and  sufficient 
•vidanoe  that  they  were  of  God,  and  no  other  evidence 

wrf^"^.!?"  ^  evidence  was  possible. 

The  world  to^iay  haa  its  own  problems  aad  nee^  and 
these  are  most  real  and  pressing.  And  what  is  menu 
tte  world  wante  light  upon  these  problems  and  s^ 
Mp  fa  its  need.  In  the  Christian  8cripture»-0hri^ 
tians  believe-we  have  the  yeiy  trnth  of  God,  the  aee- 
Mge  that  can  help  and  save  men,  the  light  that  omi 
lUjmme  the  dark  way,  the  principles  that  can  solve  the 
diffleaXties  of  society.   In  view  of  this  the  duty  of  the 
mm  who  believe  in  the  Seriptoies  is  veiy  plain :  They 
must  make  the  message  very  definite ;  they  mart  let  tlw 
toith  shine  out;  they  must  teach  men  how  to  app^ 
these  prmciples;  they  must  bring  the  truth  to  bS 
upon  mani  proUems  and  needs,  and  they  most  con. 

» Malfoid,        BipBbllorfGod,"  p.  86. 


THl  Cmm  AKD  TBE  OPFOETUWITr  101 

rider  theie  problenu  and  needs  in  the  light  of  the 
SoriptnrataiidthflirteMdiing.  Bj  their  neglect  of  the 
Soriptnn^  faj  their  nnwilliiigneii  to  apply  OkMm 
principles  to  social  life,  Christian  men  an  wddlf  H 
hard  for  men  to  believe  in  the  Scriptures  or  even  to 
have  an  interest  in  them.  But  by  opening  the  Scrip- 
tufis  to  men,  by  applying  their  principles  and  mitiring 
Jesus  Christ  and  His  truth  a  fact  in  the  nnirsml 
of  the  world,  Christians  can  solve  the  problems  of  nun 
and  can  make  the  world  believe  that  the  Scriptures  are 
of  Qod.  vin  their  poww  to  meet  man  at  the  point  of 
his  deepeit  need  to^y  these -^rxitingi  will  piofe  their 
divine  origin ;  in  their  power  i  dissolve  men's  donbti 
these  writings  will  authentioatfe  themselves;  in  their 
success  in  showing  men  the  direction  of  true  progress 
will  these  writhigs  oanonin  themselves  with  more  than 
their  old  authority  and  thereby  prove  that  thej  are  !». 
deed  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 

a.  The  churches  must  offer  their  fruits  in  evidence 
of  their  lif &  The  time  is  coming  and  is  even  now  here 
wta  men  will  dcmaad  a  different  set  of  credentials 
from  a  Christian  Church  in  proof  of  ite  ti^  to  oett  ^ 
self  Christian.  The  time  has  been  when  ohurohte 
ohuming  to  be  Christian  pointed  to  their  apostolic  suo- 
oesiioD,  to  thefar  historical  continuity,  to  their  needs  and 
doctrines,  to  their  imitatioii  of  theVew  Ttatamenl  or- 
dinances, and  to  their  reproduction  of  the  early  form  of 
church  organization;  and  in  these  they  found  the 
credentials  of  their  authority  and  the  justification  of 
their  daims. 

These  things  are  all  wrarthy  ot  oanful  ooosidentioa 
and  they  must  never  be  slighted  or  minimized.  Bm 
these  are  not  the  credentials  the  world  demands  tcHlaj, 


19S 


THE  SOCIAL  TAW  OF  CBBttTUmTT 


nor  are  they  the  eWdenoes  that  cm  MtUy  mmL  The 

test  of  fruits  is  the  final  and  raffident  test,  and  as  the 
oharohMmeet  this  test  will  they  prove  their  right  to  he 
eJ^OhrirtJan.  The  only  credentials  that  can  eon- 
nnoe  bmd  Uyd$j  that  a  dmreh  is  apostolic  is  found  in 
the  possession  of  the  apostoUo  spurit  and  the  repetitioa 
of  the  apostoUo  works.  In  so  far  then  as  the  ohnrobet 
2f  changed  and  women  with 

the  6moa  gone  oat  of  them  sitting  clothed  and  in 
their  right  mmd  at  the  feet  <rf  Jerag ;  in  lo  far  as  they 
can  show  homes  that  are  Christian  and  dtiea  that  an 
redeemed  from  slums  and  red  light  districts  abolished  • 
to  io  fur  as  they  can  show  the  streets  fuU  of  boys  and 
grit  playing  in  the  broad  places  thereof ;  in  so  far  aa 
they  can  take  up  stumblingublodM  out  of  the  way  <rf 
the  people  and  can  deliver  men  from  temptation  •  in  lo 
far  as  they  can  enable  every  Ufe  to  grow  up  in  virtue 
•ad  pnnty,  wiU  they  succeed  in  proving  that  they  are 
churches  of  the  I«d  Jero.  Chrirt  and  that  the  Chospel 
tftey  preach  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  'Si 
time  has  gone  by  when  the  churches  can  employ  ixmm 
to  put  down  any  unwelcome  doctrines  or  dangerous 
q»«ooni.  Wban  sodety  permitted  men  to  think  it 
miule  obsolete  Mohthinga  at  CoMW5ki  and  inmiidtioni 
and  thumbscrews.   No  error  is  safe  where  men  aie 
sedang  the  truth.  Nothing  but  truth  can  satisfy  the 
iMwrtofman.   The  world  wiU  aak  questions  concerning 
the  Chmrdi  and  the  Gospel,  and  the  world  haa  thS 
nght  to  do  so.   The  world  will  aak  the  ohnrahet  to 
ahow  tiieir  fruits  in  evidence,  and  the  Master  deokret 
that  this  IS  a  fair  test.   The  time  is  hero  when  truth 
mnrtoome  rat  into  the  open  and  must  either  be  able 
to  meet  aU  honett  teeti  or  it  mntt  retire  in  confotwo 


TM  CnnS  AKD  TBI  OPPORTUNIIT  198 

frwa  the  field.  Aooording  to  the  Master  tht  test  of 
mm  ii  the  final  tmt  for  men  and  for  choroheL  and 

the  people  who  bew  tl»  WMn.  o#  OWrtian  ought  to  be 
the  fint  people  in  the  world  to  meet  this  test 

8.  The  test  of  fruits  is  the  final  test  for  ChristianitT 
iteelf.  This  test  of  fruits,  this  answer  in  results  is  the 
«a«l  tert  of  Otoirtlaiiftjr.  This  test  of  life,  this  answer 

m  results  is  a  T«y  eeww  bat  it  ii  aa  eothf^  Wr  tert. 
The  test  of  power  and  efficiency,  the  ability  to  bring 
•Miething  to  pass,  the  power  to  renew  lives  and  trans- 
fom  todetj,  this  is  the  test  which  must  silence  aU 
aoabtm  andeooTiiioeaUgafaiiaTenL  The  struggle  of 
tbe  world  religions  is  upon  us,  and  the  kw  of  the 
8urviv,»l  of  the  fittest  applies  here  as  elsewhere.  It  is 
nmple  folly  for  Christians  to  complain  of  this  hiw  and 
5  to  keep  tbe  GoqmI  out  of  comparison  with  the 
otter  so<5alled  Goepeb  of  the  worid.  It  is  especially 
▼ain  and  shortsighted  aftsr  the  tm  whioh  the  HMtor 
has  Himself  proposed. 

Thus  Christianity  has  its  fortunes  to  make  or  to 
Ioi»  IB  the  wider  &ldi  of  man's  social  life.  The 
problems  of  to-day  are  social  pfobkon,  and  the 
special  taak  of  to^ay  is  a  social  task.  The  race 
is  coming  to  self-consciousness  and  men  are  begin- 
mng  to  foel  the  evils  of  the  world  as  they  never  felt 
them  before.  A  hondred  new  questions  are  up  for  a 
hearing,  and  upon  the  aaewer  to  these  qoestioaa  will 
bethe  future  of  the  race.   Thus  the  power  of  the 
Go^l  to^y  must  be  proved  in  its  ability  to  solve 
■ooial  qnestioni  and  to  show  man  the  way  of  true 
progress;  the  power  of  the  Goapel  mutt  be  proved  in 
Its  ability  to  transform  our  cities  and  to  create  a  finer 
and  higher  type  of  human  iodety.  To  say  that  Ghrii- 


194     THB  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAKITr 


tinity  oan  save  the  kmI  tad  can  hom  it  the  way  to 
heaven  is  not  enough ;  to  say  that  Christianity  creates 
a  finer  type  of  character  and  a  hi^-^er  form  of  society 
than  any  other  religi(m  is  not  enough  to  make  good  its 
elaim  ■■  the  flail  and  mdrml  religion.  To  lOeBee 
all  objections,  to  vindicate  its  ckiim,  it  must  now  prove 
its  ability  to  solve  the  questions  of  man's  social  life  and 
to  create  the  highest  possible  type  of  human  society. 
The  time  is  ooming  and  it  is  even  now  here  when  the 
value  of  Christianii^  will  be  proved  not  alone  in  He 
ability  to  make  good  individuals  who  seek  to  prepare 
themselves  for  heaven,  not  alone  in  its  ability  to  make 
0(»verts  and  build  them  up  into  churches,  not  alone  in 
its  aUUty  to  inspbe  misiioa  aooietiei  and  to  create 
Christian  orphanages ;  bat  its  power  it  to  be  shown  ia 
its  ability  to  develop  men  and  women  into  good  citizens 
of  the  kingdom  with  a  citizen's  intelligence  and  con- 
loienoe ;  in  its  ability  to  associate  men  of  good  will  into 
just  and  fraternal  eoonomio  and  industrial  nlatioBi; 
in  its  ability  to  abolish  poverty  and  to  dndn  social 
slums  and  city  quagmures ;  in  its  ability  to  transform 
cities  of  destruction  into  the  city  of  God  and  to  build 
np  in  the  earth  a  Ohristiaii  social  oider. 

This  means  that  the  only  Christianity  that  ota  main- 
tain itself  in  this  modern  world  is  the  Christianity 
that  can  offer  its  fruits  in  evidence.  This  means  that 
our  modem  Christianity,  if  it  would  command  the 
allegiance  of  men,  must  be  real  and  must  deal  with 
real  problems.  It  must  prove  its  courage  bj  ptoUag 
the  wounds  of  society  to  the  bottom  and  it  must  prove 
its  ability  to  cure  the  ills  of  society.  The  only  Chris- 
tianity that  can  win  its  way  in  these  times  is  a  Chris- 
tianity  that  oan  meet  the  needs  of  mm  aad  oia  bring 


OMOn  AMD  THE  OPPORTDNITT  195 

the  very  power  of  Qod  to  aid  them  in  their  work  The 
only  Ohrirtfaaity  that  can  win  ite  way  in  this  modem 
^M-ti  «MI  4l»«4yObflili«iii|ytliirth  worthy  of 
■eriouB  oonrideration—is  a  Christianity  that  oaa  iboir 
men  a  truer  and  larger  ideal  that  can  inspire  men  ^ 
We  and  follow  that  ideal,  that  can  mobilize  them  * 
■myaiidoMMiidthMnlorthtodobatUewithth. 

of  life»  and  can  impel  them  to  ariM  «ad  boOd  the  ll&Mt 

and  most  worthy  type  of  human  society.   This  is  the 
thing  ti.at  Christianity  must  do  to  carry  off  the  prize 
from  the  great  debate  of  the  world's  religions.   This  is 
the  thing  that  CMtOMaity  nnit  1o  if  it  would  have 
any  bright  future  in  this  modem  world.  The  noden 
world  awaits  such  a  religion  and  it  wiU  know  it  when 
it  comes.   If  Christianity  can  do  this,  if  it  can  create 
the  fliMrt  and  highest  type  of  human  society ;  if  it  can 
wdeem  our  dtiee  and  om  tnorffenn  them  into  dtiee  of 
Gou,  It  will  demonstrate  its  divine  -igin  and  wiU  eoB> 
mand  the  future.   If  it  cannot  d    bis;  if  it  cannot 
■weeten  our  social  life  and  purifj  .ur  political  reU. 
wm;  if  it  OMUMt  birfld  better  and  diviner  citiee  after 
the  heavenly  patt«»m ;  if  H  iuaai  do  tUe  or  <f  it  will 
not  do  this,  it  wili  >  count  evory  one  of  its  elaims  and 
will  be  a  vanishing  power  in  the  days  to  come.  The 
▼cry  honour  of  Christ,  the  very  existence  of  Christianity 

leatstakeiBtheftdfiDiiMBtof  thiiaooialtask. 
There  are  great  and  oltioal  pioUeini  befora  the 

world  today  that  lay  some  great  and  uigent 
upon  the  mind  and  conscience  of  the  modem  man. 
JSy  its  abihty  to  solve  these  problems  the  Christianity 

of  to-morrow  is  to  be  tested ;  by  its  ability  tohad  in  the 
fulfillment  of  these  tasks  the  .Ohurch  isgoingtobented 
m  the  days  to  owne.  The  whole  queitiQii  how  men 


196      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTXAHITT 


■hall  lire  together  and  share  in  the  common  heritage, 

how  every  life  shall  have  a  fair  inheritance  in  society 
and  shall  be  brought  into  the  family  circle  and  given 
his  {^ace  in  life,  is  up  for  a  rehearing ;  and  this  ques- 
tkn  will  not  be  settled  till  it  is  settled  in  equity  and 
lova  And  what  is  more  this  question  will  mon 
and  more  engage  the  thought  of  men  within  the 
Church,  and  no  institution  however  venerable  or  great 
that  oaimot  teach  men  how  to  meet  and  to  solve  this 
qneitioii  will  receive  a  patioit  hearing  at  the  hands  of 
men.  And  the  whole  work  of  social  reconstruction  is 
the  task  now  laid  before  us  in  the  providences  of  God 
and  the  exigency  of  progress.  The  work  of  building  up 
in  the  earth  a  Christian  society  is  the  work  to  which 
the  Christian  diadpleahip  is  fairiyand  squarely  com- 
mitted. We  cannot  excuse  ourselves  any  longer  for 
failing  to  give  ourselves  to  this  work  by  saying  that  all 
the  efforts  of  men  in  theae  directions  have  been  failures. 
Granted  that  the  men  who  have  tried  to  build  Utopias 
by  their  own  wisdom  and  strength  and  out  of  the  powr 
material  of  earthy  and  sinful  men  have  failed ;  then 
there  is  all  the  more  reason  why  the  men  who  have  the 
visi<m  of  tJie  Holy  City  coming  down  out  of  heaven 
should  set  about  the  work  of  Imilding  that  dty  oat  of 
the  stonci  of  renewed  lives. 

In  the  most  real  sense  the  validity  and  value  of 
Christianity  are  at  stake  in  this  work  of  social  redemp- 
tion. In  these  times  the  doctoines  of  Socialism  have 
arisen  to  trouble  those  who  are  at  ease  in  Zion,  fatally 
at  ease,  many  of  them.  It  is  needless  here  to  consider 
these  doctrines  in  detail ;  but  Socialism  is  a  movement 
to  be  reokmied  with  in  the  days  to  come.  It  is  need- 
kss  here  to  appraise  Socialism,  and  to  point  ont  its  de- 


TBM  CKSm  ABD  TBI  OnOBTDinTr  1»T 

fcoto  or  to  emphadae  its  merits.  This  may  be  said, 
however,  that  some  of  the  mottoooaervatiTeBtiideiitBQf 
social  life  admit  that  there  are  great  wnmgi  in  oar 
modem  social  life  and  that  the  presence  of  these 
wrongs  gives  Socialism  its  vitality.  And  it  may  be 
nid  abo  that  many  oonsermtiye  stndents  concede  that 
the  sodalistio  indictment  of  modem  icoial  oonditiooa  fa 
fully  justified  in  every  one  of  its  oomits.  We  may 
grant  that  the  program  of  Socialism  is  a  meagre  and 
materialistic  program  and  that  it  ignores  the  best  parts 
of  man's  being.  We  may  grant  further  that  in  the 
doctrmes  of  Socialism  there  ia  no  power  of  Qod  and  no 
spiritual  dynamic  that  can  move  th«  world  and  oan 
oharm  away  the  selfishness  of  men. 

Bat  if  this  if  true  there  is  all  the  more  reason  why 
the  Christian  disoipieB  with  their  program  of  theUbff- 
dom  should  set  to  work  hopefully  about  this  task  of 
social  renewal.   There  is  a  double  urgency  upon  those 
who  know  the  power  of  God  and  beUeve  in  the  might 
<rf  the  Spirit  to  prove  the  power  of  the  Gospel  insocial 
redemption.   The  doctrines  of  Sodalian  are  spreadinff 
like  wild-fire  to-day,  and  Socialism  to  millions  of  men 
has  become  a  new  religion.   We  may  denounce  Social- 
inn ;  we  may  eipose  its  faUaoies  and  may  warn  men 
against  it;  we  may  show  that  it  is  aeeretly  hostae  or 
openly  opposed  to  the  churches  and  is  even  working  at 
cross  purposes  with  Christianity  in  many  things ;  but  aU 
th«ie  efforts  will  avail  nothing;  nay,  Socialism  will 
»«w  spread  beoanse  of  this  opposition  and  the  churches 
will  only  array  the  mass  of  the  peofde  man  solidly 
against  them.   Unless  the  churches  can  show  a  faith  and 

iZ*  ??f-J"  practical  than  Sodal- 

they  oan  prove  that  they  are  mora  inter- 


198      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHBISTIANITY 

ested  in  the  whole  life  of  man  than  the  socialiitio 
propa^da;  unless  those  who  profess  and  call  them- 
Mrea  Chmtians  can  sacrifice  for  their  faith  far  beyond 
the  sociahstic  leaden,  the  doctrines  of  Socialism  will 
spread  the  people  wiU  tnni  away  from  the  ehnrohes 
and  Christianity  will  wane  and  languish.    The  only 
rehgion  that  can  answer  Socialism  is  a  religion  that 
goes  tar  beyond  Socialism  in  its  interest  in  man,  in  its 
pMdon  for  righteousness,  in  its  zeal  for  the  kingdom. 
Such  a  rehgion  as  this  will  stop  the  mouthslf  Min. 
sayers  oon^ce  the  heart  of  the  world,  demonstrate 
that  It  is  of  God  and  become  the  power  of  God  onto 
the  salvation  of  society. 

4.   From  another  point  of  view  the  vaUdity  and 
value  of  Christianity  are  at  stake  in  this  work  of  sodal 
salvation.   In  these  latter  days  we  are  witnessing  one 
of  the  greatest  movements  of  aUtheagjs.  Thecorners 
of  the  earth  are  oomieoted;mition  touches  nation;  the 
world  has  become  one  neighbouriwod.  The  old  forms 
of  national  exclusiveness  are  gone;  the  religion  and 
onrtoms  of  one  people  are  coming  into  contact  with 
those  of  aU  other  peoples;  this  contact  means  com- 
parison, and  comparison  brings  competition.  TcHiay 
the  world  is  witnessing  the  most  momentous  movement 
of  all  the  ages :  It  is  the  break-up  of  the  ethnic  relig- 
foM  and  the  search  of  men  for  a  new  religion.  The 
debate  <rf  the  world-religions  is  on,  and  Christianity 
cannot  keep  out  of  the  controversy.   How  shall  the 
nations  judge  of  these  religions  ?  What  is  to  be  the 
angle  and  final  test?  They  will  judge  these  religions 

by  tWr  resnlts.  The  test  of  fruits  wiU  determini  the 
ftwaid. 

How  will  Christianity  stand  this  test?  Suppowthe 


THB  CBI8I8  AND  TBI  OFPOBTUHITr  IM 

peopl«  of  the  Orient,  looking  for  a  religion,  should 
judge  of  Christianity  by  the  dtiee  of  Ohriiteiidom? 

Suppose  they  should  measure  the  power  and  value 
of  Christianity  by  the  moral  and  social  conditions  of 
London  and  Paris,  Hamburg  and  New  York,  Chicago 
•nd  San  Frandsoo?  Suppose  further  that  the  thou- 
sands of  men  coming  from  the  East  to  trade  and  Hre 
in  these  cities  should  be  repelled  by  the  conditions  they 
see  and  should  judge  of  Christianity  by  these  cities  ? 
Are  the  men  from  Japan  and  China,  India  and  Africa 
who  live  in  Ixmdon  and  Pteis,  New  York  and  San 
Francisco,  likely  to  become  Christians  and  then  go  back 
to   commend  Christianity  to  their  people?  One 
trembles  as  he  considers  these  things ;  in  the  light  of 
these  questions  one  cannot  suppress  some  ominous  fore- 
bodings.  The  cities  of  Ghristendm  are  the  heavicrt 
handicap  that  modem  Christianity  has  to  bear.  The 
people  of  India  and  Japan  read  the  papers  and  maga- 
anes  published  in  the  Occident;  and  they  know  what 
the  East  End  of  londoii  means  and  they  are  familiar 
with  the  doings  of  Tammany  Hall.   «  Are  then  ottifla 
the  fruits  of  Christianity?  If  Christianity  cannot 
make  better  cities  at  home,  why  should  we  considsr 
it  in  India  and  Japan  ?  »  Already  the  missionary  haa 
to  meet  these  questions;  again  and  again  the  reproaoh 
is  flung  in  his  face.   In  view  of  this  we  may  say  that 
the  most  urgent  work  before  the  Christian  discipleship 
is  the  work  of  cleansing  and  saving  these  cities.  In 
view  of  this  we  see  that  the  men  who  are  fighting  the 
heasts  of  graft  and  cormptkm  in  theae  dtki  are  giving 
telling  blows  for  the  cause    !  world-wide  missioM. 
The  men  who  are  casting  out  of  these  cities  the  demons 
of  drink  and  impurity  are  among  the  best  helpers  in 


800      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

the  work  of  world-wide  evangelism.  In  the  most  real 
sense  the  value  and  power  and  success  of  Christianity 
wwoad  depend  upon  the  cleansing  and  betterment  and 
■UTaUni  of  these  dties  ftt  home. 

II.  The  Real  Nature  op  Christianitt 
1.  For  nineteen  hundred  years  Jesus  Christ  has  had 
a  people  in  the  world;  and  m  this  time  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  m  aU  lands  and  millicms  have  learned 
to  bow  m  His  name.   Great  creeds  have  been  formn- 
Jat^  and  great  theological  treatises  have  been  written. 
And  yet  the  sad  fact  remains  that  the  rank  and  file  of 
the  people  the  world  over  have  not  understood  the  life 
and  thought  of  the  one  whom  they  call  Master  Nay 
worse,  many  of  the  leaders  of  the  churches  have  sad^ 
misnnderstood  the  Master  and  have  misplaced  the^- 
jdu«L  (rf  Hfa  teachmg.   Many  people  have  supposed 
that  rehgion  has  to  do  with  heaven  and  the  way  toit; 
at  any  rate  it  is  concerned  with  vague,  far-away,  in' 
definite  and  spiritual  things.   Many  have  believed  that 
religion  u  the  special  concern  of  special  men;  at  any 
rate  It  IS  the  peculiar  province  of  an  faistitution  called 
tHe  Church.   Many  others  have  unagined  that  religkm 
at  best  is  a  mystical  and  mysterious  thing,  good  enoueh 
m  Its  way  and  place,  but  after  all  as  something  im- 
ptacfacable  and  unworkable  in  this  real  matter-of-fact 
world.   Perhaps  the  most  dismal  fact  of  histoiy  is  the 
failure  of  the  great  oiigauised  bodies  of  ecclesiastldsai 
to  understand  the  simple  genius  of  Christ's  religion. 
Whatever  the  best  in  the  churches  of  the  time  may 
iiave  thought  of  the  life  and  religion  of  Christ,  taken 
as  a  whole,  they  have  succeeded  in  kavuig  upon  the 
mmd  of  a  large  portion  of  the  world  an  fa^wsrioB  d 


TBS  CRISIS  An>  TBI  OPPOETUKITT  901 

Canrittiaiuty  whioh  it  th«  iireot  opposite  of  the  reality. 
*<Dowii  to  the  promt  hour,  almott  whole  natioiis hi 
Europe  live,  tind  worship  and  d.o  under  the  belief  that 
Christ  is  an  ecoleeiaatical  Christ,  religion  the  sum  of 
the  churches'  observanceB,  and  faith  an  adhesion  to 
the  diimdMi>  ereeda.  .  .  .  Eyeiything  t!i  ;  the 
qpiritnal  and  temporal  authority  of  man  ooold  do  ha* 
been  done — done  lq  ignorance  of  the  true  rature  of 
Christianity— to  cModge  the  religion  of  Curist  from 
iti  natural  home  in  the  hear ,  of  humanity.   In  many 
lands  the  charahei  have  literally  stokn  Christ  bam  the 
people ;  they  have  made  the  Son  of  Man  the  Priest  of 
an  Order;  they  have  taker  Christianity  fjom  the  city 
and  unprisoned  it  bibmd  altar  rails;  they  have  with- 
drawn  it  from  the  national  life  and  doled  it  out  to  the 
few  who  pay  to  keep  op  the  nneonsofoos  deoeptioii."  • 
This  is  a  severe  indictment,  but  every  word  of  it  k 
abundantly  justified  by  the  facts  of  history.  Thus 
from  one  cause  and  another  Christianity  ham  been 
hidden  fiNMn  the  people      the  great  purpose  of  Christ 
has  been  obscured. 

a.  "What  we  especially  need  at  this  time,"  says 
ftofessor  Sanday,  «  U  freshness,  a  real  getting  at  the 
heart  of  the  matter  instead  of  dallymg  with  the  out- 
rida"  This  is  tnie,  only  too  trob.  Beyond  everr 
other  need  of  to4ay  is  reality,  a  getting  at  the  heni 
and  centre  of  Christianity  instead  of  daUying  with  it« 
accidents  and  aocompanunents.  The  fact  is  many  of 
the  things  whieh  haTe  bulked  huge  in  the  thought  of 
men  were  of  no  mterest  whatever  to  Jesos  of  HmmA. 
Thnes  and  places,  forms  and  ceremonials,  dootrinil 
ereeds  and  church  orders— the  things  upon  which  mm 
'  Onmunoad,  "  Tb»  Cltj  Wittumt  •  Chanh,"  pp.  40^  41. 


*08      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHRISTIANITY 

have  thrown  the  emphaos  for  eighteen  Landred  yean 
—meant  little  or  nothing  to  Him.   With  Him  always 
and  em3rwlMa«  the  emphasis  falls  upon  loyal  hearts 
and  loving  lives,  helpful  deeds  and  tuoUMily  sorioe. 
In  His  day  He  had  Lttie  interest  in  the  Temple  and  its 
ceremonials ;  He  did  not  observe  the  forms  and  tradi- 
tkma  of  religion ;  and  what  is  more  He  encouraged  His 
disciples  to  make  light  of  them.  He  left  the  scribes 
and  kwyers  to  their  traditions  and  dootrinea  and  went 
out  after  the  lost  sheep  of  the  Father's  flock.   He  was 
indifferent  to  such  things  as  tithing  mint  and  anise 
and  oommin,  but  he  threw  the  emphasis  of  His  life 
upon  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  as  justice,  mercy 
and  trutL   He  was  wholly  indifferent  to  aU  questions 
concerning  church  officials  and  institutional  religion, 
but  He  insisted  with  the  stress  of  eternity  upon  soda! 
jwtioe  and  tme  biothfirhood. 

By  a  cnrions  inversion  of  thhigs  the  people  of  the 
churches  have  reversed  this  order  and  have  pkced  fixtt 
what  Jesus  set  last,  and  have  made  last  the  things 
which  Jesns  put  first  Three-fourths  of  the  thought 
and  time  and  effort  of  Ohristian  people  for  eighteen 
centuries  have  been  given  to  the  very  things  whioh 
Jesus  regarded  but  as  the  dust  of  the  balance.  Three- 
fourths  of  the  things  that  most  vitally  concerned  Jesus 
nave  been  ignored  by  His  people  where  they  have  not 
been  actually  deqnsed.  Does  any  one  suppose  that 
Jesiw  would  have  any  interest  in  half  the  controversies 
of  the  churches  over  such  questions  as  church  officials, 
metaphysical  creeds,  aUen  baptism,  forms  of  worship, 
methods  of  oiganiiation?  It  is  open  to  doubt  whether 
Jesus  would  understand  what  these  disdmions  were  aU 
about,  even  though  they  prafeaied  to  be  oankdonia 


TBE  caemm  asd  thm  onommm  ao8 

Hiihoiionr.  It  is  certain  that  He  would  tarn  in  8Qm>w 
from  many  of  Omm  things  and  would  kment  that 
though  He  had  been  so  long  time  with  men  yet  tfaij 
have  not  known  Him.  Eccleaiasticism  has  hidden  the 
Christ  Institutional  religion  has  mystified  men.  The 
things  that  Jesus  died  to  destroy  the  churches  bearing 
His  name  have  exalted  to  the  very  thronei  The  things 
He  died  to  establish  the  churches  have  largely  ignored. 
These  are  hard  sayings,  bat  history  mora  than  imtiflfli 
them. 

8.  The  uhief  interest  of  Jesus  CSirist  was  the  Idng^ 
dom  of  God.   The  whole  stress  of  His  life  fUb  upon. 
the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  such  as  brotherhood 
and  love,  justice  and  mercy.   He  was  interested  in 
little  ddldren,  and  when  He  stood  the  child  in  the 
midst  He  showed  the  real  centre  of  gravity.   He  pro- 
nounjed  His  heaviest  woes  upon  the  men  who  plaoed 
stumbling-blocks  in  their  feUow's  way,  and  trampled 
upon  the  lives  of  others.  H"  saw  how  womanhood  was 
tamed  into  merobandise  and  He  did  not  hesitate  to  brand 
such  infamy  as  under  the  emne  of  bearen.  In  the  li^t 
of  His  life  and  teaching  can  any  one  doubt  what  would 
bethechief  interest  of  Jesus  Christ  to  day?  He  would 
be  interated  in  little  children,  and  no  doubt  He  would 
fling  in  oar  fsoes  the  kst  children  of  oar  cities  who 
jiicken  and  die  in  unsanitary  tenements,  or  who  rrmr 
out  their  little  bodies  in  hard  and  bitter  toil  in  oar 
mills  and  factories.    He  would  come  out^f-doois 
whsw  life  is  real  and  He  would  be  found  where  men 
•w  most  needy.   He  would  take  His  place  wfaera 
wmpires  lie  in  wait  for  their  human  prey,  and  He 
would  be  found  most  often  v  here  women  fight  desper- 
ately for  virtua  Where  injustice  is  done  there  He 


THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRI8TIANITT 

would  be  found,  to  rebuke  and  warn.  Where  child, 
hood  is  wronged  His  whip  of  small  oords  would  flash 
udttiag.  "There  can  be  no  doubt,  ...  that  if 
Jenw  were  with  vm  tcniaj  He  woald  side  with  thoM 
who  are  making  great  efforts  to  relieve  the  haid  lot  of 
the  poor  and  procure  them  better  conditions  of  life."  • 
"That  Christ  in  our  day  takes  a  much  more  lively  in- 
tswit  in  the  devdopmeat  cf  our  political  droumstanoei 
and  conditions  than  in  our  MMsalled  oinuoh  moveDeati 
and  current  questions,  I  cannot  for  a  moment  doubt 
He  knows  full  well  on  what  things  reaUy  depend,  and 
OD  what  they  do  not"'  -» 

The  aooeptanoe  of  this  social  tadc  by  the  disciples  of 
Christ  will  do  much  to  reveal  the  essential  natm  <tf 
Christianity.   It  will  give  a  tone  of  reality  to  our 
religion,  something  alas  that  is  sadly  lacking  to^y. 
It  will  prove  that  religion  is  a  reality  and  is  conoemed 
with  real  things.  It  will  show  men  that  Ghriitiaaity 
is  practical  and  is  interested  in  everything  that  intenttf 
men.   It  will  demonstrate  that  the  Gospel  has  a  mes- 
■J^tor  men  where  they  are.   It  wiU  prove  that 
ohristianity  can  prodnoe  real  fndts  in  this  world  where 
men  live.   It  wiU  show  that  Chiistianity  is  here  to 
make  a  better  world  and  to  transfigure  the  dust  of  our 
humanity  into  the  glory  of  God's  kingdom.   The  best 
•P^ogetio  for  Christianity  today  is  a  clear  statement 
of  its  enential  natnra. 

III.   The  New  Enthusiasm  fob  the  Kingdom 
The  acceptance  of  such  a  program  and  the  prosecu- 
tion of  mdi  a  task  will  faring  new  life  into  theohuiohes 

'  Hamaok,  "What  ia  Caatatiaidtjr *'  d.  1M 
•  BoMm^  "  SMlto  SluidM,'^  974. 


TBI  cum  AMD  THE  OPTOITUVlTr  101 

and  will  mean  a  revival  of  apostolic  Ohristiaiiity.  It  it 
eaqr  to  qnoto  ■tatMoi  diowing  that  tlie  BMrnbanbip 
of  tho  dmrohes  ii  increaaing ;  and  it  is  poaibia  alio  to 
prove  that  oontribations  for  beneficent  oaoses  are  larger 
than  ever  before.  But  this  doea  not  tell  the  whole 
itory;  in  fact  it  doea  not  touch  the  real  heart  of  the 
qnaatioB.  Are  Christian  peqda  showing  a  deep  and 
strong  enthusiasm  in  the  work  of  the  khigdom  ?  Do 
their  hearts  beat  high  with  hope  and  do  their  feet  beat 
time  to  the  march  of  Qod's  events  ?  Are  thej  living 
and  working  as  men  and  women  might  be  expected  to 
wotk  who  believe  that  they  have  found  the  beat  *hfa»g 
in  the  world  ? 

1.  It  is  said  by  careful  observers  that  our  modem 
Ohrirtiai^ty  lacks  courage  and  enthusiasm ;  it  lacks  in- 
tenaityandpaaikm;  and  ao  it  laoka  vitality  and  power. 
Some  time  ago  a  man  of  large  experience  made  a  tour 
of  the  world  visiting  the  mission  stations  and  studying 
the  results  of  missionary  work.   Whoi  he  came  home 
he  paand  this  eritioism  npon  the  woric  as  he  had  seen 
it ;  and  this  criticism  is  all  the  more  lignifieant  in  that 
it  is  friendly.   He  stated  that  he  had  found  many  ooii> 
verts  who  had  come  out  of  darknoss  into  the  light,  men 
and  women  who  were  living  brave  and  devoted  Uvea 
and  were  seeking  to  advanoe  the  kingdom  of  Qod. 
But  he  stated  also  that  there  aeemed  to  be  something 
lacking  in  the  lives  of  these  converts  which  troubled 
him.  By  and  by  it  came  home  to  him  that  these  con- 
▼arts  were  not  living  aa  men  and  women  might  be  ex- 
pected to  live  who  believe  that  tiiey  have  foand  tlia 
best  thing  in  the  world.   I  do  not  know  how  it  may  be 
with  Christian  converts  in  heathen  lands ;  but  I  know 
▼ary  well  how  it  is  with  many  of  our  people  at  boxao. 


M»     Tm  80CUI,  TASK  OF  CH»WIU«ir 
n.y  «  not  Bring  «,d  working  u  „a 

•«  taring  to  b.  tn.e  to  Chri.t  ^d^tTS^t 

«Pl«  and  jejnne  j  the  ohnrche.  we  fan  ol  goodW 
bW  tlKir  goodne.  i.  not  nuBtMit  and  ag^^.^k 

power  ofT 

thi^  i!  ^f'  Chrirtianity  need,  waefld,^ 

J^^«Wlp.t  meaning  into  life  .nd  virion  into  the 
mZft.^        that  slnui blood  «.d  .M 
naJce  their  heart!  bertU^iriai  hone.  We  need  ^ 
vBion  that  »haU  aet  the  h«u  .f  m«,  LTroZ 

^.Z?  •  r  ""'^  holyenthnria^nrw^eeJ^I: 
waic  that  warned  thdr  hiMrbL   «t+  anj 


THl  cutis  AMD  TBI  OffOWUMiTf  fOT 

wftWn  ft  mil6  o<  ns,  apftthetio  and  obMara,  who,  if  an 
object  wortly  of  tk«a  ted  bM  ptMtad  to  thwD, 
would  have  shown  thenuelvei  oapable  of  wthinhmi 
and  heroism.  Whole  volumes  of  hnman  enenrr  ar» 
thus  apparently  annihilated."  But  alas,  thus  far  the 
oluiidMthft?eiiotoff«ndthai0menaman's  job;  they 
havo  not  mobilized  Omm  BMA  and  wonen  for  tho  Uafl 
dom.  Some  time  a  young  woman,  earnest  and 
teained,  went  to  her  clergyman  offering  her  services  to 
the  ohmoh.  "  His  only  suggestion  was  that  I  should 

be  responsibte  emy  Sunday  for  ftfwh  flowws  upon  the 
altar."  Educated  and  earnest  young  men  *«mtt  into 
our  churches,  eager  for  service  and  anxious  to  mtvo  in 
tiieir  generation ;  and  the  only  suggestion,  we  oan  mako 
is  thai  thflj  attend  the  prayer-meetings  and  take  im  tho 
collection  on  Sunday. 

2.  The  first  thing  is  for  the  churches  to  inspire  man 
with  the  vision  of  the  Holy  City  coming  down  from 
heaven  to  be  set  up  on  this  earth.  In  aU  times  the 

poets  and  prophets  of  tiieworid  have  long  and  dreamed 
of  a  better  and  brighter  world.  They  have  sighed  fbr 

the  day  when  injustice  shall  cease,  when  childhood  no 
longer  shall  be  wronged  and  womanhood  shall  no 
longer  be  treated  as  merohandisa  They  have  dreamed 
of  the  time  when  good  will  and  peaoediaU  flU  tho 
earth,  when  no  labour  shall  be  unrewarded  and  no  life 
shaU  be  unprivileged,  when  children  shall  be  happy 
and  parents  shaU  be  glad,  when  gray  hairs  shaU  be  a 
crown  of  glory  and  not  an  eoonomio  handicap.  And 
m  all  tmies  the  poor  old  world,  thinking  itself  wise  and 
practical,  haa  laughed  at  such  dreamers  and  has  de- 
clared these  dreams  to  bo  idle  and  impossible.  And 
yet  let  the  wise  men  mock  as  they  will,  we  must  dare 


a08      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CUBISTUKITT 

to  oheriih  thew  hopes  and  follow  this  vision.   "  To  fill 
thu  litUe  island  with  true  friends,"  writes  Buskin  in 
Ui  eloqiMBt  and  pathetic  way— "man  brave  and  wise 
and  happy  I  Is  il  so  impo-lbmWnk  you,  af  ter  the 
world  s  eighteen  hundred  years  of  Christianity,  and  ow 
own  thousand  years  of  toil,  to  fill  this  little  white 
gewung  orag  with  happy  creatures  help'  .  to  each 
.  .  .  Mint  we  remain  here  also  savaire. 
at  aBiiiity  with  eaoh  oth«r,  hen  fbodtoss,  houa! 
less,  in  rags,  in  dust,  and  without  hope,  as  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  of  us  are  lying  ?  "  •   To  make  a 
better  world,  we  must  insist,  is  the  task  before  us,  to 
BMka  a  brigfator  worid  fbr  ohUdren  to  be  bom  into,  a 
safer  world  for  boys  and  girto  to  grow  up  in,  a  happier 
world  for  men  to  travel  through,  a  more  joyous  worid 
for  departing  saints  to  look  back  upon,  this  is  the  wora 
that  WW  amatreicautely  set  before  ourselves;  thisisthe 
tai  to  which  we  most  imnmon  the  men  of  good  wiU 
in  every  community. 

To  unite  men  in  behalf  of  this  task,  to  mobilize  them 
fato  one  army  and  send  them  forth  to  battle  for  the 
troth ;  this  is  the  work  of  the  churches  to<lf  y.  «  Come, 
my  brothers,"  the  churches  most  say  to  men,  « <iora«  let 
us  join  hands  and  interlock  our  hearts  in  behalf  of  a 
bettw  and  brighter  world.  Something  can  be  done  to 
make  better  and  cleaner  cities.  Will  yon,  my  b.  t.  there, 
accept  this  task  and  Libonr  together  to  lay  the  streets 
and  to  build  the  walls  of  the  new  and  Holy  City  ?  "  Ona 
^t  part  of  the  churches'  work  is  to  keep  the  ideal  o*' 
the  kingdom  before  men,  to  hearten  them  with  the 
bofe  ot  a  better  day,  to  keep  the  flame  of  devotion 

iwmmg  upon  the  altars  of  their  hear^  to  set  their  feet 
'"(kowaalWildOUm:  Ttef^tarad] 


emu  AlTD  THl  OPPORTUNITY  909 

'^l^^'^J^t^t^  to enli.t  tliem  in  thedirin* 
•draotiiMof  avikiiig  the  kingdom,  of  this  world  W 
the  kingdom  of  God.  «d  to^Lhd  U«f 
to  go  forth  and  light  the  battle,  of  the SIIJ  rjfe 

SL^lS""  "^t^y  ^  ^  enterpriee. 

nr.  Thi  New  Viotorie.  fob  the  Kingdom 

*i.t.  u  i»  oonoemed  the  a«5eptanoe  of 

thM  tadcandthefaMItoeBtofthi.progra^^^ 
new      m  ghty  viotorie.  for  the  kii^dSfa  S. ^ 
The  Go8pel--Chrirtian.  believe-TThTpoww^^ 

-aivati:n':7;;;i^ 

irifrtkii  of  iociety.  That  message  oomeTto  men 
a.  a  mesttge  from  the  ikther  to  hi.  dSdren,  Z^Tt 
his  love,  convincing  them  of  hi.  irterert.  bJ^^ 
^p^nce  and  gu«xiing  them  I  hi.  p^ 
^  hM  i.  it.  oentrml  truth  the  C„«  of  Christ  which 
^pow^  *oooiiti»oim««<rfrin.andofrighteontt^ 
and  of  judgment  to  win  men  away  from^  to 
h^  them  m  nghteon«e«,  to  lead\hem  iZZu^ 

to  .harm  away  their  selfishness.   That  qXi 

Holy  Spirit  who  i.  with  m^to^k 
mthem,  -id  to  renew  th«i  in  knowledge  to  ^ive 

Thlson^f^S::"^'  ^"^^  ther?l,;^^Se£^ 

givw.  The  nighty  igenoie.  that  make  for  the  king- 
dom are  now  here^  nrident  in  our  hnmaidtT  andXv 

«•  at  work  m  the  world ;  the  inflnite  Ckidi.  intoit^ 


910      THE  SOCUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 


at  woric  at  evwy  moment  of  time  in  every  part  of  His 
universe.  Thus  the  workers  in  the  kingdom  are  not 
weak ;  they  are  not  alone  in  then-  toil,  for  the  whole 
power  of  God  is  pledged  in  behalf  of  the  kingdom  and 
its  ooming.  They  who  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever 
He  goes  are  not  the  broken  fragments  of  a  forlorn  hope. 
The  Gospel  of  the  crucified  Christ  is  the  most  potent 
force  that  has  ever  been  released  into  human  society. 

Something  can  be  done ;  much  can  be  done,  every- 
thing can  be  done  that  God  wants  done  and  we  are 
willing  in  His  name  to  do.  Valleys  can  be  filled,  hills 
can  be  levelled,  stumbling-blocks  can  be  taken  up  out  of 
the  way,  demons  can  be  cast  out  of  society,  the  works 
of  the  devil  can  be  destroyed,  saloons  can  be  closed,  red 
light  districts  can  be  abolished,  slnms  can  be  cleansed, 
political  treasons  can  be  rebuked  and  covenants  with 
death  can  be  annulled,  the  law  of  competition  can  be 
renounced  and  the  law  of  cooperation  can  be  estab- 
lished, straight  paths  can  be  made  for  men's  feet,  beiter 
and  more  Christian  dties  can  be  boilt,  the  weak  oan  be 
buttressed  and  made  strong,  the  conditions  of  human 
life  can  be  renewed  morning,  noon  and  night,  the  re- 
•onroes  of  society  can  be  held  in  trust  for  all  its 
ntemben,  a  moral  atmoqdiere  oan  be  created  for  the 
growing  and  developing  lives,  sodal  oostcnns  oan  be 
Christianized,  a  strong  presumption  can  be  created  in 
favour  of  purity  and  honesty  and  sincerity,  we  can 
make  it  eader  for  men  to  do  right  and  harder  for  men 
to  do  wrong.  We  may  not  be  able  to  do  everything  at 
once,  but  something  can  be  done.  Thero  is  a  marked 
difference  between  the  better  and  the  worse,  and  we 
oan  leave  the  worse  and  strive  for  the  better.  And 
any  effort  which  will  improve  by  a  hair's  breadth  the 


THE  CRISIS  AND  THE  OPPORTUNITY  211 

©mdition  of  a  single  human  life  is  the  translation  into 
deed  of  Mine  article  of  the  Christian  faith.  Thus  they 
wtoare  eeeking  the  kingdom  of  God  and  are  buildini 
a  Christian  city  know  that  they  are  working  in  line 
with  the  great  purpose  of  God  and  mlise  that  their 
laboon  are  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

There  ie  evoy  reuon  whj  Christian  people  of  aU 
others  should  be  interested  and  active  in  this  work  of 
social  salvation.  In  every  community  there  are  many 
forms  of  social  activity  all  seeking  to  abate  some 
nuMnoe  to  i^ht  some  wrong,  to  better  some  section 
of  the  city  and  to  ameliorate  human  conditions.  Many 
of  these  men  most  active  in  these  varied  foims  of  elTort 
are  devoted  members  of  the  churches  and  fUthfol 

women  most  active  in  thew  forms  of  social  serC 
confess  no  allegiance  to  Jesus  Christ  andWe^ 
patience  with  the  churches.   This  is  not  all,  but 

XjS'^wSh*?'  of  Socialism  are 

■pwKUng  like  wfld-flre,  and  to  millions  of  peoole  So- 
ciabsm  has  become  ardigioo  thatlUl.  their  h^  wi^ 
an  unbounded  enthusiasm.   In  thiat^nZJlT!; 

I>7  f«P!?P°"**»"««»««toth«  world,  we  are  toS 
vn^out  first  regenerating  men.  Th^hopeto^  . 
golden  society  out  of  leaden  men.   Theee  m«««^ 

the^mOT 
HO  ana  nanow  and  above  all  they  lack  a.  mi^ht^ 

send  them  out  to  spend  and  to  be  speiitTtiS 
wmce  of  righteousness  and  reform. 

la  View  of  all  this  there  isa  douW,  reawn  why  Ohri^ 


212      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 

tian  men  with  their  larger  ideal  of  the  kingdom  and 
with  their  motive  of  the  love  of  Christ  should  take  a 
double  interest  in  all  forms  of  social  service.  Granted 
that  many  of  these  fonns  of  social  effort  lack  a  high 
idflil  and  are  withont  the  religions  motiTe ;  there  is 
thus  an  added  reason  why  Christian  men  should  hold 
up  the  ideal  of  Christ  and  should  seek  to  infuse  the  re- 
l^ous  spirit  into  efforts  for  social  amelioration. 
Gmited  also  that  many  of  these  efforts  fm  social  bet- 
terment are  misdurected  and  really  acocnnplish  littto 
lasting  good ;  then  this  is  a  second  reason  why  Chris- 
tian men  who  confess  that  social  wrongs  abound  and 
•oeial  oonditioQs  need  changing,  should  show  men  the 
true  dh^tion  of  progress  and  should  lead  in  the  cam- 
paign for  social  betterment   Granted  further  thai  So- 
cialism as  a  program  is  somewhat  materialistic  and 
ignores  great  reahns  of  human  life;  then  this  is  a  third 
leason  why  Ohristian  men  with  their  larger  program 
and  their  higher  motive  should  ontesrve  the  Socialists 
in  thoir  efforts  to  promote  human  welfare.   The  race  fa 
coming  to  social  self -consciousness ;  social  questions  are 
19  for  a  hearing ;  men  are  becoming  concerned  with 
the  qnestimi  of  sodal  progress;  the  prolten how  w« 
shall  bring  greater  happmess  and  Uoger  opportmiitj  to 
all  men  is  in  a  sense  the  social  problem  itself.  Men 
are  becommg  in  ;ei-e6ted  in  these  questions,  and  they 
win  disoomt  both  the  intelligence  and  the  religion  of 
any  man  or  any  ohnrdi  that  does  not  have  aa  interest 
m  these  things.   Men  want  light  upon  these  problems, 
and  they  will  have  little  patience  with  any  institution, 
however  venerable,  that  cannot  give  a  sane  and  cour- 
ageous leadership.  "The  Canndi  by  its  neglect  of  the 
•ocial  pvoblfliii  has  hist  mnA  ol  its  r^tlm  as  i  Wwlnr 


THB  CBISI8  AND  THE  OPPORTUNITY  818 

and  gaide  of  humanity.   It  wUl  only  regain  it  by  reo- 
ognizing  this  question,  and  the  solution  of  it,  as  a  part 
of  its  evangel,  m  having  their  roots  finally  in  the  same 
spiritual  principles  as  those  which  govern  ita  fbrmal 
theology." '  It  wiU  be  a  sad  day  for  the  Church  and 
the  world  when  Christian  men  allow  themselves  to  be 
ottt-humaned  by  the  humanitarians.   It  will  bring  a 
standing  reproooh  against  the  name  <rf  Christ  if  Chiii. 
tian  men  commit  to  outsiders— to  unbelieven  and  ag- 
nostics often— the  agitation  of  social  wrongs  and  the 
■truggle  for  social  righteousness.  It  will  be  a  great 
day  for  the  Cararoh  and  the  world  when  Christian  men 
frankly  and  fully  accept  this  social  task  and  mointsiv 
set  about  its  accomplishment.   It  will  do  mofe  than  » 
whole  Hbrary  of  apologetics  to  reveal  the  essential  na- 
ture of  Christianity  and  to  hold  the  aUegianoe  of  aU 
men  of  good  wilL  The  frank  aoeeptaaoe  of  thb  looial 
task  by  the  churches  will  furnish  the  new  oradeatiali 
that  are  needed  to^y ;  it  will  enable  men  to  discern 
tte  essential  nature  of  Christianity  and  the  real  mean- 
hig  of  theOhriitiaa'koomBiisBion;  it  will  cause  young 
men  to  see  visioDs and  old  men  todmm4tmsm'  nd 

it  wiU  remit  in  new  aiid  vkBdid  TioloM  tetlwkiM^ 

dom. 

In  sommaiy  of  aU  tiiat  has  been  said,  three  thiwg. 
may  be  noted :  ^ 

1.  The  final  apologetic  for  Christiaoi^  mul  be  the 
apologetic  of  results.  It  is  easy  for  one  to  exaggerate 
oertain  aspects  of  the  present  crisis  confronting  the 
wmehes,  hot  it  is  daageroos  to  underrate  the  serionmasa 
of  the  present  situation.  « It  is  now  nnimally  admit, 
ted,"  laji  Professor  Eucken,  "  that  the  owdm  wrnld, 


914      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIANITT 

and  the  present  time  in  partioiikr,  finds  itself  at  many 
points  in  contradiction  with  Christianity ;  bat  the  tme  ex- 
tent of  the  opposition  and  the  uncompromising  character 
of  the  attack  are  still  very  far  from  being  universally 
understood." '   The  assault  to^ay  is  not  oonceme  1  with 
any  special  doctrines  of  Christianity,  but  with  the  very 
value  of  Christianity  itself ;  the  question  at  issue  is  not 
the  priority  of  one  denomination  over  another  or  the 
superiority  of  one  shade  of  Christianity  over  others,  but 
the  very  existence  of  Christianity  itself.   "  If  we  are  to 
cope  effectively  with  the  situation  it  is  unperati  ve  that  we 
should  realize  how  the  matter  truly  stands.   Once  our 
eyes  are  opened  we  shall  see  that  no  minor  defenses 
can  save  us;  we  shall  cease  to  expect  decisive  results 
from  the  adoption  of  sectarian  programs,  however 
conscientiously  the  schemes  are  carried  (mt"'  How 
can  we  meet  this  crisis  ?   How  can  we  demonstrate  tbe 
value  of  Christianity  ?  There  is  one  answer,  only  one, 
which  touches  the  heart  of  the  problem :  "  The  only 
way  to  prove  any  claim  of  theology  is  to  show  its  vital 
relation  to  the  crises  of  life.   No  one  was  ever  oon- 
vinced  of  the  truths  of  religion  in  any  other  way,  nor 
has  any  one  who  has  believed  them  from  this  side  lost 
his  faith  by  mere  ratiocination.   If  such  a  one  has  lost 
his  faith  it  is  because  its  vitsl  contact  with  his  life  has 
ceased  and  the  work  of  reason  is,  then,  simply  to  show 
that  what  is  left  is  dead." »  «  The  so^ed  logical  proofe 
of  inspiration  never  convince  any  one,  because  when 
iudi  proofs  are  offered  in  ev^ence  that  inspiration  is 
BOW  taksn  as  a  fsot  out  of  cranectita  with  the  aotnal 

>  «  Chrirtiwiity  wd  th*  Smt  U«diM,"  p.  lis. 

*  nu^  p.  113. 

•  Kiag^  "  Tha  Dmlopmnt  o(  Balision,"  p.  360. 


THE  CBI8IS  AST)  TBI  OPPOBTUHITY  S15 

unfoldiiig  of  fluperienoe.  It  k  well  known  that  no 
axgament  for  the  inspiration  of  the  Soriptaret,  for  im- 
mortality, or  for  the  divinity  of  Christ  is  convincing  to 
any  one  who  does  not  believe  in  them  already  as  facts 
of  immediate  experience."'  In  the  final  count  the 
mlnatiou  of  Ghristiaiiity  in  the  minds  of  men  will  de- 
pend wholly  upon  its  power  to  meet  the  present  needs 
of  the  world.  The  world  to-day  cares  little  or  nothing 
for  our  arguments  and  evidence:,  based  on  prophecy 
and  mindes ;  the  wwld  has  no  interest  whatever  in 
oar  disoussioDs  ot  tapoKboOa  sooeessioii  and  ohiirdi 
orders.  The  occupant  of  St.  Peter's  chair  may  issaehis 
encyclicals,  and  church  bodies  may  deplore  the  preva- 
lenoe  of  modem  inquiry ;  but  snoh  things  simply  pro- 
Toke  Olympian  Umghter  and  add  to  the  weariness  of 
the  world.  But  the  world  cares  everything  for  a  truth 
that  functions  and  has  social  potency ;  the  world  listens 
to  a  Gospel  that  dissolves  doubts  and  has  dynamic  re- 
lation to  pnsent  problems ;  the  world  is  intensely  in- 
terested in  any  institntioa  that  has  leal  effioieoof  aiid 
produces  social  results. 

The  religion  of  Christ  can  brook  no  rival,  and  it  must 
be  supreme  or  it  is  nothing.  The  Christian  ideal  must 
be  the  dominant  and  dominating  ideal  over  all  life,  or  it 
is  no  ideal  at  all.  In  what  way,  the  worid  waats  to 
know,  can  Christianity  demonstrate  its  right  to  the 
throne  of  supremacy  ?  How  can  the  Christian  ideal 
gain  and  hold  the  sceptre  of  authority  ?  There  is  only 
one  way  by  which  it  can  take  and  hold  this  sovereignty : 
It  must  become  the  dynamic  and  motive  of  the  oeir 
social  salvation.  It  must  become  the  commanding 
synthesis  which  is  able  to  marshal  men  in  one  army  and 
I  King,        lHwlni— H  al  BcUgton,"  p.  361. 


S16      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 

send  them  forth  to  buUd  on  earth  the  dty  of  God. 
That  is,  it  can  only  win  the  passionate  enthusiaan  of 
the  people  m  it  nnifies  life  and  becomea  the  power  of 
God  unto  MoUnlTatkm.  WedoiiotBeed»Wi«% 
ion ;  we  need  not  ponder  in  our  hearti  whether  ChS 
tianity  is  the  religion  the  world  needs  or  not.   But  we 
do  need  to  recognize  the  essential  nature  of  Christianity 
and  to  give  the  QotpA  an  opportunity  to  do  its  mighti. 
artworks.   We  do  need  to  bring  the  essential  imd  mi. 
waning  powers  of  the  Gospel  into  vital  relation  to  Um 
real  Me  of  Unlay.     It  is  not  our  duty  to  fight  for  a 
new  religion ;  we  have  but  to  kindle  into  freshness  of 
life  the  fathomless  depths  of  Christianity.  Insofaras 
we  succeed  in  doing  this,  we  can  completely  latisiy  the 
requirements  of  the  new  situation."  •   I  shaU  be  told 
that  Christianity  has  no  vocation  to  transform  the 
world,  and  the  Scriptures  nowhere  promise  thatitshaU 
do  so    It  is  impossible  here  to  discuss  this  qnertioiL 
and  after  what  has  been  said  in  this  study  it  is  needkM 
for  me  to  attempt  it.   This  is  certain,  however,  that  the 
CJtastiaa  Ideal  is  that  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth, 
a  Holy  City  coming  down  firomGodamongmen.  This 
IS  oertam  also,  beyond  peradventure,  that  th**  ?.x3i«l 
question  is  here,  and  Christianity  must  eiiher  p.  in 
the  way  of  its  solution  or  it  must  conf  .  adlurr      '  is 
18  certain,  farther,  that  we  need  some  unifying  i  30m- 
manding  ideal  which  shaU  put  meaning  intothe  whole 
of  life  and  dominate  all  the  activities  of  society  Th«7 
who  would  have  us  beUev-  that  Christianity  has  no 
▼ocatKm  to  s^ve  society  an.  making  it  very  hard  for 
men  to  have  any  interert  in  Christiaiiity.   We  do  not 
•sk  that  any  religion  shall  Fesent  ready-made  ftmniOafc 


THl  CBI818  AND  THl  OPFOSTUNITr  217 

^^te  onoe  for  all,  which  shaU  solve  every  quertion 
Mtoro  it  it  nised.  At  any  nite  we  have  no  «aoh 
formulas  in  Christianity  and  we  BMd  not  lodcfor  them 

there.  AU  that  we  do  ask  of  any  lel^ion  is  that  it 
shaU  meet  the  needs  of  men  as  they  arise  and  solve  their 
problemi  aa  they  emerga  In  so  far  as  Christianity  oan 
succeed  in  theM  things  to^Jay,  that  fitr  it  wiU  com- 
pletely  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  preieat  litwtioii. 
In  so  far  as  Christian  men  furnish  the  opportunity  for 
Christianity  to  achieve  its  hirgest  results  wiU  they  offer 
the  fiiwlevidfliices  of  Christiamty  to  their  day  and  sen- 
eration.  * 

2.  The  final  test  of  goodness  is  social  servioeaUeam 
According  to  the  Gospels  and  the  Acts  the  earliest 
wospel,  the  Gospel  which  Jesus  preached  and  Paul  pro- 
chimied,waithe6o.pdofthekingdom.'  The  kingdom 
of  God,  we  have  seen,  in  an  earUeroluq)ter,  wasagreat. 
human,  social,  all-inclusive  ideal  covering  the  whole  life 
of  man  and  oontempkting  a  new  society  on  earth.  For 
•  gaMmtion  this  waa  the  Gospel  that  men  preached  and 
beheved;  and  in  that  tine wondeifnl  adTuoeswere 
made.   But  in  the  kter  New  Testament  wiftingi  we 
fijid  that  a  change  is  coming  over  the  thought  of  men : 
the  emphasis  is  slowly  shifting  from  the  idea  of  the 
kingdom  to  the  idea  of  the  Church ;  the  idea  of  the 
Jongdom  more  and  more  filb  into  the  bae^romid  while 
the  Idea  of  the  Church  moves  into  the  foregronnd.  Two 
processes  go  on  side  by  side,  though  in  a  sense  the  two 
•are  one.  In  the  one  process,  by  imperceptible  degrees, 
there  grows  op  an  faiititntion  oalldd  the  Church,  iiade 
jp  of  believers  and  having  a  life  and  order  of  iti« 
it  was  mevitable  that  such  a  result  should  appaar, 


MS      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHBISTIAMITT 

perhaps  it  waa  necessary.   It  was  necessary  that  the 
^oroh  should  be  and  that  it  should  dif  vrentiate  itself 
nom  aU  other  inatitntioiia.  It  was  inevitable  that  an 
ever-widening  gulf  should  appear  between  the  Choreh 
and  the  world,  for  the  Jewish  people  and  the  Roman 
government  regarded  Christians  as  sectaries  and  rebels. 
At  any  rate  the  time  comes  when  Christians  regard 
thenuelvee  as  a  people  apart,  "a  third  race " they  were 
called;  the  world  was  their  enemy,  how  then  could 
they  love  it  ?  Little  by  little,  by  imperceptible  degrees 
andperhaps  with  little  conscious  purpose,  a  church  in- 
■atntkm  ia  formed  with  an  organization,  a  life  and  order 
of  Its  own.  The  time  comes  when  religion  is  regarded 
as  the  special  interest  of  the  Church,  and  the  Church  k 
regarded  as  the  special  institute  of  religion.  In  the  other 
process,  at  once  as  cause  and  effect  of  the  process  jo-^ 
named,  there  grows  up  a  wholly  new  conception  of 
Christian  life.  More  and  more  it  comea  to  be  viev 
as  a  thing  apart  from  the  common  life,  something  that 
wects  a  barrier  between  the  Christian  and  the  world. 
^  the  middle  of  the  second  century  we  can  mark  the 
change  that  has  come  over  the  thought  and  lifeof  men. 
In  the  Epistle  to  Diognetus  we  find  that  the  Chrietiaa 
We  has  become  a  thing  apart  from  the  r-orld ;  now  the 
Oirtotian  thinks  of  himself  as  a  pUgrim  and  a  stranger 
«  earth;  "As  dtizena  they  share  in  aU  things  with 
others,  and  yet  endure  all  things  as  foreigners.  Eveiy 
foreign  land  is  to  them  as  their  native  country,  and 

every  knd  of  their  birth  as  a  land  of  strangers'"  By 
the  close  of  the  fourth  century  the  ascetic  ideal  was 
firmly  established  in  the  Chm«h  and  accepted  as 
the  standard  of  the  Christian  life.  Thm  m  a  rcMitt 


TBI  CBUn  AMD  TBI  OPrOBTUMIlT  919 

dtheM  two  prooenei  the  Ohrirtiaa  life  comes  to  be  re- 
garded M  imiMithing  apart  from  the  world  of  men  and 
thingi;  religion  beoomes  the  special  iatenet  of  aa 

ecoleBiaatioal  institution ;  goodness  is  measnred  by  one*i 
detachednesi  from  the  world  and  its  concerns ;  Chri^ 
tiana  axe  oalled  to  aenre  the  world  as  they  pass  through 
it  on  their  way  to  the  Celettial  City,  bat  they  have  ao 
vocation  to  transform  the  world ;  to  grow  in  grace  oaa 
must  insulate  himself  from  the  world  as  much  as  pos- 
•iUe,  and  to  become  perfect  he  mutt  reduce  the  points 
of  oontaot  with  the  worid  tothe  vary  lowest 

In  two  ways  the  prevalence  of  thew  oonoeptioiii  haa 
misplaced  the  emphasis  of  the  Christian  life.   For  ona 
thing  the  Christian  life  has  become  too  self-centred,  too 
fobjeotive,  too  otherworldly,  too  much  occupied  with 
escape  for  oneself.  This  ii  shown  in  the  oonoeptions  of 
sainthood  that  have  arisen  in  the  Church  and  hKf% 
determined  the  ideals  of  men.   The  traditional  saint  of 
the  middle  ages,  "  the  saint  that  we  see  on  the  walls  of 
•veiy  piotiire  gaUecy  in  Europe,  the  saint  that  still 
haunts  the  imagination  of  hundreds  of  thoosaadi  of 
devout  men  who  regard  the  Romish  apostasy  with 
horror,"  is  a  starved  and  emaciated  figure,  with  thin 
I»le  face,  the  eyes  red  with  tears  or  weary  with  watch- 
ing, with  tnusparent  hancb  and  wasted  form.'  The 
world  to-day,  Protestant  no  less  than  OathoUo,  k  still 
mastered  by  the  spell  of  the  ancient  tradition.  We  do 
not  think  of  a  man  as  a  saint  unless  he  is  quiet  and 
aaoetk},  with  a  snbdued  air  and  a  far-away  look  in  his 
•yes,  and  we  have  a  littie  more  ooniideDoe  in  his  good- 
ness if  he  is  somewhat  melancholy.   "We  do  not  *hinh 
of  a  man  as  a  saint  at  all  if  he  has  red  rich  blood  and 

^OtiB,  "  UWI  a  Chrirt  for  Obmman  T.Um,"  p  QOK 


SaO      THE  80CUL  TASK  Of  GBtltTIAnTr 

«  hearty  laagh,  or  if  he  takes  mmt  fatcNrt  bk  ehfldna 

—and  poUticB.  According  to  the  Haater  addition 
not  robtraction  is  the  arithmetic  of  the  kingdom.  But 
•cooiding  to  the  traditional  conception  of  sainthood 
subtraction  not  addition  ii  tlw  aritluMtio  of  the  Chri^ 
tian  life. 

The  conception  of  the  means  and  methods  of  spiritual 
development  haa  been  almost  wholly  subjective  and 
■«-r^gM^.  It  would  be  interesting  and  profitable 
to  study  the  various  mlea  ptworibed  for  the  gnidanoe 
of  the  spiritual  life  and  Uie  promotion  of  OhriitiMi 
devotion.  AH  through  tiie  -niddle  ages  devout  and 
•anflrt  men  and  women  sought  to  grow  in  grace  and 

^  "P"^  ^  ^7  witiidrawing  from 
V»  WDvId  and  spending  tiieir  dayi  and  nighti  in  prayer 
and  fasting,  in  vigils  and  meditation.   Every  day  Uiere 
oamethe  same  round  of  spiritual  exercises,  ♦  rer.aating 
BrnhDi  at  Uuds,  Prime,  Teroe,  Sext,  Nones  and 
Oompline,  as  weU  m  BatiBi  and  Vespers ;»  each  day 
witnessed  the  same  incessant  sti«am  of  woi^  and  the 
same  round  of  prayers.   In  their  efforts  to  grow  in 
g»ce  and  attain  spiritual  power  some  souls  deUberately 
brokaall  the  ties  of  life  and  retired  to  the  lonely  cdl 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  lifb  in  nitgiow  demotion. 
Otiiers  climbed  a  tall  piUar  sixty  feet  high,  living  on  its 
nanow  top  for  many  years  in  summer  and  winter,  and 
bowing  themselves  to  Uieir  feet  twelve  hundred  times 
every  day.    "What  good  to  God  or  man?"  aaks 
Bnerley.   "  How  weary  heaven  must  bMf  tnJk  is  not, 
of  Uus  everlasting  repetition." '   It  is  true  that  in 
ttese  manuals  of  devotion  a  large  place  is  given  to 
«Mrity  and  serrioe ;  and  every  day  tiiere  came  to  many 


TBE  OBUB  AMD  TBI  OPrOBTDHITr  Ml 

J*  *^  '^^^  ^  ®'  serrioes,  feeding  the 

onqgiy,  anriiig  tiM  liok,  iometim«i  Idiung  the 
beggar*!  loree  and  giving  one's  coat  to  olotiM  *ht 

destitute.   But  we  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that 
mudi  of  this  service  was  given  not  primarily  for  the 
good  of  the  needy  bat  to  add  to  one's  spiritual  credit. 
There  was  no  study  of  omum  and  no  attempt  to  change 
sodal  conditions.   There  is  something  beantifnl  in  all 
this  devotion  and  charity,  as  every  one  must  admit 
Bat  after  all  what  has  come  of  it  so  far  as  the  world  is 
oooowd  ?  Suppose  that  a  tithe  of  the  devotion  and 
efforf  that  have  gone  into  these  spiritoal  eiaivisei  had 
gone  into  the  work  of  teaching  the  ignorant,  removing 
the  causes  of  poverty,  improving  social  conditions  and 
WttWfa^  betrw  cities?  In  that  case  no  nation  of 
jwrope  after  igfatesn  oentoriei  of  Ohrittiaiiity  would 
be  compelled  to  report  ninety-flve  per  cent  of  ita  pao^ 
pie  illiterate ;  and  in  that  case  the  world  might  bt  at 
least  a  thousand  years  nearer  the  Golden  Age. 

In  the  OiriitiaB  esntoriei  these  conceptions  have 
undergone  many  changes  and  modifioatioot  is  both 
the  Catholic  and  Protestant  divisions  of  ChristeDdam. 
But  though  changed  and  modified  in  many  ways  they 
ywoMtlnae  to  influence  the  thought  and  life  of  the 
ObristiaB  world.  These  conoeptkms  are  reflected  in  the 
vanous  conceptions  of  saintliness  and  spiritaalHy  wfaieh 
prevail  in  the  churches  of  to^y.   And  these  concep- 
toons  are  woven  into  the  very  warp  and  woof  of  the 
wotional  lit«t«tare  of  the  Church.  The  spiritual  life^ 
the  genenl  ocmoeptkm  of  things,  appean  as  some- 
thing  apart  from  the  ordinaiy  human  experiences  of 
men ;  it  must  be  cultivated  in  isolation  and  seclusion ; 
to  maintain  a  devout  and  spiritual  and  Christian  tnma 


9S9     TUS  SOCIAL  T18K  OF  CHXinUinTr 

of  mind  one  must  have  Jntt  m  Uttto  m  poMlbl*  to  do 

with  the  sooial  and  political  interests  of  one's  time  and 
place;  at  any  rate  interest  in  these  things  and  efforts 
fcr  their  improvement,  though  necessary  enough  on  the 
part  of  onspiiitiMl  aad  worldlj  men,  are  inoompatiUe 
with  a  devout  frame  of  mind  and  a  spiritual  tenpsr  of 
life.  In  support  of  this  view  it  may  be  said  that  many 
of  the  people  most  honoured  for  their  devout  temper 
and  saintly  life  have  taken  little  interest  in  the  social 
and  political  movements  of  their  day  and  jdaoe.  Aad 
it  must  be  confessed  also  that  many  of  the  men  one  has 
known  who  are  active  and  eflBcieat  in  the  work  of  in- 
dnstrial  betterment  and  civic  reform  have  lacked  a  cer- 
tain spiritual  mwtioB  and  denmtaMs  of  temper.  This 
means  thut  a  crisis  has  come  in  the  leiigioiit  Ulb  of 
many  people ;  and  this  Ham^p  |^  j^g^  mtrnff^^  q| 
Christian  goodness. 

The  return  to  the  earliest  Gospel  on  the  part  of  tho 
Church  and  the  restoration  of  the  idea  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  to  its  central  place  in  the  Christian  life  is  the 
one  thing  that  can  bring  men  safely  through  this  crisis. 
According  to  this  conception  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
as  wide  as  the  worid  and  faiohideB  all  the  realms  and 
relations  of  nwn's  being.  The  amnt  for  the  Ungdom 
is  the  search  after  frei3dom,  and  justice  and  brother- 
hood in  all  the  reahns  and  relations  of  society.  The 
meaiore  of  one's  goodness  is  the  degree  of  his  social 
servioeableness.  The  man  who  is  wtSkh^  hoUnesi  for 
his  own  sake  is  on  the  wrong  track.  The  rneamo  of 
one's  sanctity  is  the  degree  of  his  social  efficiency. 
That  is,  the  Christian  life  to-day  must  be  lived  in  the 
▼wy  thk}k  of  life's  interests  and  struggles.  The  spirit- 
nal  life  must  temper  and  tone  the  relatioitt  amkl  which 


THi  cinn  AVD  TBI  oppoMumTi  ns 

ou  moTM  from  daj  to  day.   The  MunUy  virtuei  muit 
bt  wm  nd  dtif^optA  in  tlM  UMtorfnl  interwu  of 
ontfB  noU  and  poUtioal  lif«^  It  hM  bMBeompm. 
tively  easj  for  men  to  be  devout  and  to  grow  cpiritaal 
detached  from  the  world  in  pious  exclusion.  It  may 
not  be  10  easy  for  men  to  grow  in  grace  and  w^htaln 
a  spiritual  temper  white  ktenrted  in  eodil  ftfbrm  and 
fighting  for  civic  justice.   The  Christian  ipMt  hai 
proved  its  ability  to  develop  the  highest  type  of  Chris- 
tian  character  and  sainUy  life  in  the  ascetic's  ceU  and 
thaehmmh  cBokaam  Can  it  now  prove  its  ability  to 
create  the  highest  type  of  social  gpodaaw  in  tha  wwk 
of  social  service  and  civic  betterment  ?  The  tima  nay 
have  been  when  religion  could  be  content  to  cultivate 
a  nanow  sphere  and  leave  the  wider  world  untouched. 
The  tima  haa  basn  wfcett  tlia  lodal  wf ormer  was  coo- 
tent  to  prosecute  his  task  with  no  refercnea  to  lelkiaii 
and  unaffected  by  the  Christian  ideal.   But  the  tima 
has  gone  by  foren  .  -  when  such  an  attitude  is  longer 
tnabla  orCUtiaa.  T&day  men  who  would  be  Ohria. 
ttoi  saints  must  Ura  tiidr  daapeit  and  Ugiieal  life  is 
tbe  work  of  social  servica  Today  the  world  of  aooial 
aervice  must  become  Christian  through  and  throu^. 
Thk  defines  one  of  the  most  momentous  crises  oon^ 
fruDtiBg  tha  Ohriitiaa  life  tcHiay.  And  this  suggests 
the  most  splendid  opportaai^  that  baa  TnrmwBata 
men  to  illustrate  the  real  nature  and  power  ot  Chris- 
tianity. The  time  has  been  when  the  measure  of  one's 
•aistly  attainments  was  the  measure  of  one's  spiritual 
detachedness.  Tha  tiaw  is  oondiig  when  tba  Ibal  teat 
of  one's  Christian  goodnaii  will  ba  tba  maaaaiaolbiB 
•ooial  serviceableness. 

8.  The  essential  Gospel  is  the  Qo^  of  tba  king. 


m      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OP  CHRISTIANITY 

dom  of  Gkxi  on  earth.   "The  kingdom  of  God 
hand."  Surely  the  time  has  come  for  all  who 
themselm  Ohriitiaiii  to  believe  thii  evangel  an 
make  it  a  reality.   In  the  United  Statei  there  are 
thirty-four  miUion  church-memberft-over  thirty 
per  cent,  of  the  population— aU  professing  faitl 
Jmu  Obxkt  and  all  praying  for  the  coming  of  Q 
tangdom.   Suppose  the»  people  were  nnited  in  t 
efforts  to  abolish  some  of  the  great  wrongs  oi 
world,  such  as  child  labour,  the  liquor  tra 
poverty,  the  white  skve  traflSc  and  the  red  li 
distriot,  city  glun%  the  desecration  of  the  rest  ( 
mumcipal  corruption  and  corporate  oppraasioii?  E 
pose  they  should  join  hands  in  their  efforts  to  nc 
justice  for  all,  to  provide  playgrounds  for  chUdren 
m  boys  and  girls  from  a  life  of  vice,  to  widen 
daw  of  opportonity  for  til,  to  build  mate  sanit 
cities,  to  give  every  life  a  true  inlMiri».miop  ^ 
to  devise  some  system  of  labour  copartnership  i 
Fofit  sharing,  to  make  straight  paths  in  the  social  i 
for  men's  foet,  and  to  create  a  better  and  more  mo 
atmosphere  for  aU?  How  long  would  it  b«  boC 
these  wrongs  would  be  abolished  and  thete  m 
secured?  Surely  the  time  has  come  for  the  peoi 
WK>  pray  for  the  kingdom  of  God  to  unite  in  maW 
that  kingdom  •  waot.  Bvpptm  it  were  undento 
tnat  It  IS  the  function  of  Chibkkidty  to  onite  mm  h 
one  great  fellowship  of  love  and  brotherhood  a 
semoe,  and  then  to  mobilize  them  as  one  army  foi 
OMnpaign  for  the  kingdom  P  Suppose  Christian  m 
reahzed  that  their  supreme  bosfauss  is  to  ofgaaiieai 
create  a  just,  fraternal,  happy,  Christian  state  oa  swtl 
How  long  would  it  be  b«fon  the  stMsteef  tteKi 


TBI  CBISIS  AlTD  TBI  OFPORTUVXTr  M6 


City  'TOi^Id  laid  and  the  walls  of  the  Holy  Oity 
won)  1  begin  to  ap')eajr?  Sorely,  the  time  haa  oraue 
for  I'M}  UMOL  who  M  Jtni  Mtttir  to  tjpmimuum 
the  e  z  i  i  4  'aH  prinMpka  c<  tiM  Gospel  and  to  remember 
that  Christianity  is  not  the  revealed  art  of  escape  from 
this  world  to  some  &raway  heaven,  but  that  it  is 
rather  the  divine  method  of  bringing  heavm  down  to 
tbaft  it  Bay  be  realised  among  mm,  Suppose 
they  realized  that  Christianity  is  an  incarnation,  the 
divine  dwelling  in  the  human  that  it  may  transform 
it,  the  tranafigoration  of  the  dust  of  our  humanity  into 
the  g^ory  of  4te  dhiaei  How  tef  wwdi  ft  Mote 
eartii  would  put  her  beauteous  garments  on  and  the 
streets  of  the  would  be  Inll  of  ha^fir  ebildfeft 
aiagiiig: 

BOMona,  Blened  ii  Be  ttil  eeMitt  flMSHM 

of  the  Lord. 

mnwfli - g'—  — ^^-.-^-^ 

ef  our  Esther  David. 

Tfnianna  in  tho  highfirti 

I  am  Bok  blfaid  to  ^  ooMeqiWMei  that  may  follow  the 
preaohjig  of  the  whole  Gospel  of  th  -  kingd(»n  and  the 
determined  eff.*rt  to  maJce  that  Qospel  a  fact  in  the 
life  of  the  world.  The  preachers  of  that  QotpeL  may 
awakoBibeMiiiklniol  aca  witldft  the  tMbmtmd 
perhaps  the  hatred  of  oMftwiAaitt  ^ohurahes.  The 
woricers  in  the  kingdom  may  be  regarded  as  dreamers 
of  dreams  where  they  are  not  treated  as  distorben  of 
the  peace.  It  may  be  that  sndi  preaching  and  larviee 
wS  Wng  1^  M  ^  mam  ef  mmm  taAml^ 
•atisfled  religionists  of  the  <^mrohes;  it  may  bring 


996      THE  80CUL  TASK  OF  CHBISTUHITT 

omss  the  widows  by  starvatkm  wages  and  grin  :  the 
faces  of  the  poor  by  monopoly  prices;  ^ ^y^^ 
them  the  favour  of  those  who  grow  fst  <m  «m  tofl  cf 
ehildren,  wlw  mOm  long  pwyw  hat  practice  the 
wM§  tthios ;  it  may  mean  that  a  testing  time  wiU 
come  to  some  of  the  ohurches  and  many  prophets  may 
find  themselves  homeless.   But  if  men  hesitate  <m  thii 
account  they  will  lose  their  power  for  Mrvie*; 
they  sre  alwudy  tat  Ahready  a  brilliant  and  dis- 
cerning Socialist  has  said :« It  is  the  uncrudfled  Ohns- 
tianity  that  speaks  from  the  modem  pulpit  and  sits  m 
the  church  pews  that  is  driving  the  paaskm  fcrta- 
manity  into  other  obamieis  tfam  the  Olimoh."  Wfll 
the  worf«  etUing  themselves  Christian  believe  the 
Gospd  and  fulfill  their  commission?  Will  they  accept 
the  leadership  of  the  social  faith  and  mobilize  meaj^J 
the  Kmg's  campaign?  Canthey  dwrthat  ilirtrMa 
inChmliiabood  of  wrfoB  and  a  principle  of  action  f 
Wfll  they  out-human  the  humanitarians  and  outserve 
the  SodaliBts  in  their  interest  in  man  and  their  passion 
for  justice?  If  so,  tiiey  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
proving  that  Christianity  ii  ol  God  tad  thai  Jeios 
&iMii1ii0Kfaig<tf  the  world.  If  not  they  wOl  dis- 
eomit  eviiy  article  of  tiieir  Christian  faitii  and  wiU  make 
ft  rvj  hard  lor  the  worid  to  have  any  interest  in 

C&ristiui^*  ,  . 

fhe  idea  ol  the  kingdom  el  Qoi-^  4Mne  goal  of 

^  worid  and  the  supreme  good  of  man—is  both  a 
protest  and  a  confession.  It  is  a  protest  against  eve«y- 
tiiing  hi  the  present  social  order  that  is  unjust  and 
Inotherlv,  that  is  amtrary  to  tbs  wffl  d  God  nd  ii 
to  ma.  II  ia  •  oonfession  of  faith  in  the 
#»ii(t<rtyiiliBfcQ<dwffliMdiii«ii«t>hHA»dl» 


fBB  OHmB  AVD  T^H  <»PtOttTUJUVI 


the  earth ;  it  is  the  faith  that  the  kingdomi  ct  this 
woMu  Ulbeoome  the  kingdom  ol God.  Oliihlliiiliyh 
not  here  to  make  men  satisfied  with  things  as  th^are; 
it  is  hare  rather  to  make  men  dissatisfied  with  evil  and 
to  inspire  them  to  arise  and  make  things  as  thej  oi^t 
to  be.  Ohrirtiaoity  !■  aol  here  to  Aaw  mm  how  to 
•n^ie  fipon  the  oity  of  deatraetiiMi  aad  gii  ftwqr  toilM 
Celestial  Oity ;  it  is  here  rather  to  inspire  men  to 
labour  and  serve  to  transform  the  dty  of  destruction 
into  a  Oity  of  QodL  The  time  haa  been  when  mm. 
though  of  CMthoily  aa  **aB  eoitMjfor  ^  emo- 
tionalist, a  walking  dream  for  the  abstraotionist,"  some* 
thing  having  to  do  with  saved  souls  in  some  other 
world,  but  as  unrelated  to  saved  lives  here,  something 
given  to  prepare  m  ^  for  heaven  in  some  other  sfdluffe^ 
bttt  Bol  diijpiad  to  bring  beaTM  down  to  etrtt  Ihtt  Ik 
fnay  be  reaped  among  men,  abov*  aU  ■wnetlihig 
that  primarily  and  diiefly  oonoems  jveaohers  and 
ehnrches  ai^  Sundays  but  has  little  relation  to 
men,  to  dvio  affairs  on  week  days.  IbetimAhaaooBM 
f or  men  to  aooept  tlM  ]faalMr%  ideal  of  the  kfafien  «i 
God,  to  follow  a  large  and  oompreheudve  program,  to 
make  Jesus.Ohrist  a  fact  not  alone  fen*  the  oldster  and 
the  prayer-meeting  but  in  Uie  aotnal  and  univenal  life 
of  thewerid,attdtolMiadonetrfiiacity  thilihftltte 
the  imlBmAm  of  tiie  Holy  City.  U  there  isan  obUg»- 
tion  upon  men  to  hold  Christian  principles,  there  is  an 
equal  obligation  upra  them  to  make  those  principles 
prevail  If  it  is  a  Christian's  duty  to  cherish  the  ideal 
of  •  OlifirtiMi  ioalit  mim  ft  isaoiMi  MsCTiililtn  ^ 
to  build  a  Christian  sodal  fader.  If  it  is  ^i^mi 
proper  for  men  to  pray  that  Ood's  kingdom  ma,f<xme  and 
Hia  will  may  be  done  on  earth  as  in  hMT«B|  it  Imo  ]«i 


228      THE  SOCIAL  TASK  OF  CHKaTIAMITT 

right  and  proper  for  them  to  seek  to  have  His  wiUdone 
and  His  kingdom  built  here  and  now.  TlwCautatlMiii 
henoe  booad  by  hii  vary  ooBtnwfc  to  agitate  and  serve 
Md  ■teive  till  every  wrong  is  abolished,  till  nghteons- 
ness  is  enthroned  in  human  society  in  all  its  relations, 
till  justice  has  become  the  daily  practice  of  society  in 
all  its  customs  and  institutions,  till  every  faniBaa  being 
haa  room  enough  for  the  foil  ezprasskm  of  his  powers, 
till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  have  become  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  the  Holy  City  of  the  seer's  vision  has  be- 
oome  the  reality  of  earth  — 

Till  upon  earth's  grateful  sod, 
Bflsto  (he  City  of  our  God. 


NBLIOGRAPHT 
BuMbMibaiah :  **  GhriaUanity  and  ttie  Sodal 
Craokar:  «*Tli»0hanh«(Mi7.^ 
Gladden  :  "Tho  Church  and  Modam  Life." 
PMtodj :  "  Jeaw  Cbriat  and  «be  Social  Qneatiim." 
iMhM :  **ClnlrtlaiiHir  and  the  New  Idealism." 
■Hm  i"  Hw  IjirftMl  Blp'f^"**  "*  Mfl^*™  aadaUaa." 


Appendix 


THE  SOCIAL  SSBVICE  FBOOBAM 

Uavt  fhiiiga  indicate  that  th«  ohurobM  an  beginning  to 
fefir  ohUgatow  to  ■octoty  and  are  wrioariy  wlrii^  to  had  tta  ■ooM 
Iritt.  1feaIWtandOMHMaflfttaCtanh«flC0liftaliBAMrka,fap- 
iMBting  thirty-flTe  religiona  bodiea  and  abont  twenty  million  mem- 
ben^  bas  onated  aSodal  Serriee  Oommiaaion  obaiged  witit  the  doty  "  to 
ttody  aoda!  aaaillton,  to  allord  by  iti  aotion  and  atteranca  aa  wpM 
don  of  the  pnrpoae  ct  the  ohnnhea  of  Cibriat  in  the  United  Statta,  to 
reoQgniae  the  import  of  pwaent  aooia!  moTomento  and  indnatrial  eon> 
ditions,  and  to  oodperato  in  all  pmrtioable  wi^  to  pranoto  in  tha 
obDnhaattMdafdofaaaBtal  tta  ^icit  aad  pneHoa  el  Maial  avfioih" 

(or  which  the  ohnrahee  ahoold  etand.  This  platform  and  program  baa 
been  aooepted  and  latifled  by  a  anmbar  of  laUgioaa  bodiaa  la  Mto 
ooontiy,  aa  tta  HwliMii  Bafm  nwiiwilliji^ 
■ambly,  the  MiMniK  fHI— Mi 

tional  OonooU. 

Tn  Ommm  akd  Motbbv  Ivduubt 

IW  ttMlilgMiflitaaiqilatojMlltoteiilMBiBallaMfniaCMfc 

Wvt  iha  tl^  ai  «n  aaen  to  the  uupm  tuaHyat  mM  wiliitenaaea,a  ri^t 
tvar  to  be  wMy  and  etnmi^  ■alagBBBlad  iprtiiat  emitiaebmaBto 

of  OTory  kind. 

For  the  right  of  tiie  workeia  to  anne  protection  againat  ttie  hardehipa 
often  reaalting  from  the  awift  oriaea  of  indnstriia  dumge. 

Fto  toe  prindple  of  ooneiliation  and  arUiatiaB  is  iadoilrial  ( 
■iona. 

>Be  tha  yoteattoB  of  lhaiwrtat  fc— *wpwi«Mtlw^R< 


For  toe  abolition  of  ohild  hriMor. 
For  BQoh  regaUtimi  of  the  ocmditiona  of  toil  for  women  aa  ihaU  mit- 

gnard  tiie  phyaical  and  moral  health  of  the  ocmunnnity. 
For  toe  gradnia  and  reaaonable  redaction  of  the  boon  of  Ubms  to  the 

lowcat  pcBOticable  point,  and  for  that  degree  «l 

wUeh  ia  a  aaoditiaB  sC  «ha  hi|M  huMM  Ohw 


J.  uham  tot  utojumw*  mm  flaj  In  mr-ri 
For  tiie  mippnirion  ol  the  "  sweating  ^yrtem." 
Foe  a  litina  wage  aa  a  minimam  in  etery  indoatry  Ma  fcf  i 

wage  ttiat  eaob  iodosta'j  affords. 
Foe  the  moat  equitable  diviaion  of  the  prodnots  ol  industry  thai  AM 

ulttmatdTbe doTiaed.  , .   ...  , 

Ite  iittrida  Hoviakm  for  the  old  i«e  o(  workan  and  for  thoaa  inoir 

laiMiiid  By  iii}Bry> 
flor  the  abatement  of  poverty.  ^ 
In  addition  the  Sooial  Senrioe  OonnlMMi «     Hannani  i 


For  home  training  for  sooial  liviog. 
For  the  aingle  standard  of  purity. 
For  the  teaching  of  saxhygiwa. 
Wnr  nninina  ntvana  NBHW^B 


Par  uniform  dtvavta 
mony. 

Fto  aaaitary  homea  and  tenements  and  qrstematio  inspeotion. 

Ite  tta  alwW^  id  ovacerowdiag  and  the  gnaranteee  of  snflkienl 

iadusltiall&Taaioa. 

Th«  Chubch  and  ih«  CoMMUHiry 
Fui  Mis  ■upiaiilnn  of  vile  shows,  uncisan  lltwatura  and  unfltposteira. 
For  the  abolition  ol  «w  liquor  tnflte,  optas,  «ob*»  Mi 

forming  dmgk  _ ,  , 

For  the  soppnssion  ol  the  red  light  diatriot,  the  wktlB  dam 

and  sex  diseaasa. 
Ite  the  aunnariOB  ol  gamUing  in  aU  its  I 


Wm  tfw  administration  of  Justioe  with  a  saring  pnrpoaa. 
Wm  playironiida  aad  aUj  parica  aooearible  to  the  people. 
Ite  MM  nHaMd  and  moral  forma  ol  aoraNuent. 
For  an  inTeaUgation  ol  dtrio  BOiiilltiBM  Md  for  a  dTie  plan. 
F«ir  oItU  asrrioe  msttwdi  in  an  «li«B  4  ~ 


Index 


Aaa,  itt  praUtM  defined,  31 
Ariitode,  maa  •  political  famifr 


Arnold,  Thww,  Ml 

Apocalypaa,  ({Mtad  !■  viuluiy  cf 

GMst,  97 
Apobtetie  of  reralti  it  final,  913 
Atawnhere,  iti  influence  npon  life, 
164 

'  r«aMCi9afGod,M 


Bmooh,  m  nwwing  opportn^ 

iMtaMf'^^lM  Redemption  of  the 
Vttk,"  63;  "The  Oiriitiaa 
SMe,"  150;  "The  Owrch  aa 
Am  Haker  of  QMHdoMo^**  I  jl 


ofaatalib  ifi6 
Bible,  to  be  taa|^  the  poeplo,  190 
Booth,  on  Hfi  in  London,  43 
Bnee.«Getl»aiiieli."  3a 
Brieriqr*  MfaNft  lodal  pnUeni, 
38;  deacribee  nailm  wligion, 
mo;  on  iiiiiil  I  I  the 

g£t  »?•»  «  erf*  -r  ti. 

Bnokik  «•  Th*  taaU  ftaNM,**  )• 
ftodMriMMiofthe  Kii^don,  10 
Bnee,  "Ike  Kia|don>  of  God." 


)Ml  QHrfUow  in  Africa,  S| 
lt,ea  twIiiiBg  the  child,  ijo 
BuhneOtMi  tmmk  dMtaf 
56 

Calvdi,  Ida  afaa  at  Geaevn,  ISO 
CmML  "Oriitiaaitp  aaA  dw 
BHU(Mir/'S3 


Capital,  by  Man  quoted,  136 
Carlyle,  on  unity  «  univene,  4S 
Cauiea,  must  be  conddeied.  155 
Children,  pkygrounda  §ot  in  atf, 

Christendom,  hinden  nuiaiM  voric. 
198)  the  ChriatiaaiMtiM  d^tt 
preaeat  cmidition,  aa 

Christian  men,  have  social  doty, 
130;  to  build  Christian  aodety, 
74 ;  to  lead  in  ret  rm,  an 

Christian  spirit,  created  the  Chris- 
tian £uuly,  17;  created  dto 
Church,  IBS  created  the  mis- 
sionary entenrise,  ao 

Christian  social  order,  to  be  boilt, 
118 

Ckriatiaaity,  is  ever  aew.  « ^  ;  ita 
aeUerements,  16 ;  its  reu  .  .re 
revealed,  aoo:  new  taAdeiued. 
ti ;  not  finidwd  to  iNckt  31 ) 
on  trial  to-day,  195;  preeeat 
crisis  o(  7, 184 ;  to  be  tested  by 
frnita.  193  •  <°  inspire  social  ac- 
tion. 180 

OBfitfaalaation  of  Christendom,  8 

Oardl.  as  agency  of  the  Uncdom, 
no;  created  by  Christian  spirit, 
t8;  compared  with  the  Ungdoia, 
66;  don  aot  iadade  all  life.  80; 
ia  aot  mif  iaatltatioa  of  religion. 
115;  Ml  aeeUag  whola  ktep- 
dw*  tij;  religion  o«lM%OTt 
wnoat  a  parish.  160 

ChndM^  ia  beat  parta  of  the  ei^* 
lio;  asast  riwwjh*^  t^tt.  191 1 

GMaa,  aia  fh^  iaproviagy 
coadStioas  of  BMdera.  a4;  ra- 
proach  of  Christianity.  199 

^^&£hMi^ia       aL  aa  ' 


m 


833 


INDEX 


Ckurkt,  WOUum  ttwtod,  fe 
Col«rklte.w  iMjiinHto*  of  Scf^ 

tons,  189 
Coadilion  of  hvaun  life,  143 
GtaMioM  tfbrt  to  buUd  Cbristiui 

■od^.  tiS 
Coolojr,  ttflaoMO  of  gram  lifs,  169 
CradoMWt  of  duAuI^  ta^tif, 

t88 

CriHM,  ku  Mchl  emM,  (I 
C(Wa»  ChriMiaity  fuing  Unlajr,  7 
Ooanr^  Ui  aottob  17 
Qmehir,  OB  crisis  of  Chnich,  it^ 

Dalk,  on  medueval  laints,  819 
Detley,  on  wute  in  reform,  91 ; 

"  Sociology,"  13a 
DeLareleye,  on  but  tannutn  order,  6 
Demont,  to  be  cut  out,  96 
Dewey,  moral  value    things,  167 
Diognetus,  on  early  Christians,  ai8 
Drummond,  chnrdies  have  stolen 

Christ,  aoi 
DuBois, »  The  Natural  Way,"  183 

Economic  basis  of  spiritual  life, 
»34 

Emerson,  on  heroic  world,  170 
Enthusiasm  needed  to-day,  188 
Environment  influences  man,  53, 
166 

Ephesians,  quoted,  on  the  body,  81 
Eternal  life,  how  understood,  66 
Evidences  of  Christianity  to-day, 
•87 

Endun,  on  Brasent  ansis,  39,  ai^ 


FmVOU  of  human  life,  four,  133 
Fairbeim,  on  purpose  of  Chris- 
tianity, 71 
Family,  the  Christian  type,  17 ;  to 

be  Christianized,  109 
Farrar,  describes  Robuw  society,  16 
Ferri,  dedsnt  iriwiwih  4»mlimt 

Fichte,  on  organizing  ptmm  Of 

Christianity,  181 
Fremantle,  "The  World  as  the 

Snlflaet  of  RedeBptkm,"  83 
7!riA^,ttfrSMt  tut  of  nS|^BB(  193 


Glaodbn,  -  The  Chmch  snd  Mod- 
em Life,"  83 

God,  the  living  God,  14}  dw 
ktegdon  of  God  on  otrait  M( 
spewng  to-day,  176 

Gospel,  its  own  evidence,  1871  ll 
Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  at§^ 
return  to  the  earliest,  aaa 

Gnco  of  God,  b  It  Uattad  7  ft 

Hall,  G.  Stanley,  quoted  w 

making  penonality,  50 
Hamack,  o«  tite  taMMt  «f  |mm» 

ao4 

Harrison,  Frederic,  aaod  of  McW 

synthesis,  30 
Healing,  apart  of  Christ^ 

istry,  94 

Heath,  "The  Gndv*  Otf  «f 

God,"  13a 
Heaven,  is  a  city,  58 
Hebrews,  quoted  on  Melchizedec, 

127 

Henderson,    Modem  Methods  of 

Charity,"  63 
Heredity,  a  factor  in  life,  133 
Herodotus,  desoBM  BhwhW  tH 

prayer,  19 
Hobson,  "The  Social  Problem,* dg 
Horton,  on  eternal  life,  106 
Hughes,  H.  P.,  on 

blessing,  139,  141 
Hunter,  ••  Povertjr,"  ja 
Huxley,  on  life  in  East 

34, 44 ;  says  sodd 

begaided,  147 

lotAL  needed  ttydtsf,  179 
Individual  efibrt  a  partU  UHtM, 
43 

In'<  /iduality,  how  realized,  49 
"  .oividnaMb  olM  "  ' 
154 

InsUtotions  to  be  riillllhpiiMili  107 
Isaiah,  on  watchmw  te  tfw  citjr, 
161 


JAMKS,  Pkof.,  on  develi 
pcrM»ality,  48;  o( 

I5f»}  08 


ent  of 
of 


INDEX 


983 


mind,  1711  para  air  tot 
•U.60 

Jam,  Hit  program,  93;  throw* 
•nphaiU  on  present,  aoa;  to 
■art  the  whole  man,  im  }  o«t  of 
place  in  modem  e%(  tl^(  w»M 
«n  ideabit,  129 
oel,  OB  material  blessing,  138 
ohn,  on  the  friends  of  Christ,  88 
ttstice,  defined  and  described,  lai 
]  aTcail*  Court,  saret  children,  148 

KsLUT, «  Twenttedi  Ceatuy  So- 

cWte,"  183 
Kdoffr  "  The  Book  of  Lrritiaili'' 

>43 

Kidd,  on  dM  wok^  dhjaheriled, 

35 

King.  H.  C,  OB  dw  mlkf  of  IB- 


Marx,  Karl,  on  econoBiie 

of  society,  13s ;  OB 

Socialism,  130 
Mathews,  "The  Church  mi 

Changing  Order,"  3a 
Maurice,  on  the  MM  BM  «f 

Bible,  175 
Melchisedec,  King  of 

neu  and  Peace,  137 
Men,  why  BOl  ialHBMai  Ib 

J07 

Mill,  J.  S.,  on  selfishness,  170 
Milton,  on  effects  of  sin,  C5 
Missionary  conveitt  mm 
B,  105 


U^on,  75 
Innaitoa 
«4 


proofcof  lipiiB- 


Mosaic  1( 
137 

MS 


KhurinBi, %  locial  ideal, 7«t  « »»  NswYou^ 


ciely  OB  earth,  77 ;  diffmnt 
oeBeentioMs  of,  66;  =3ore  than 


food  taMlividnds,  ia8:  the  Chris- 
Sea  COBceptinn  of,  69$  wktt  to- 
iler Ib  it  aeans,  174 

Labriola,  on  materialistie  concep. 

tir   of  history,  136 
Lankester,  man  is  nature's  rebel,  40 
Lecky,  <<  History  «f  BimieBB 

Morals,"  32 
Lincoln  and  Davis,  MBde  tjr 

vironment,  169 
Locke, oa  ttoBBAflf 

Locksley  Bdl,8lilr  Y« 

London,  oi»dition  of  its  poor,  44 
Lord's  Pnyer,  a  social  program,  93 


MACKKNnX,  OB 

ciety, 59 
Mark,  Gtwpel  of. 


Nordeau,  on  slum  people,  14c 
Northmp,  G.  W.,  on  Christ's  pro> 


OBUOAnON 


Patten,  «•  The  I 

ligion,"  83 
Paul,  on  Adam's  sin,  53  {  OB  Ibc 

manity  as  a  body,  78 
Peabody,  "Jesus  Christ  aal  iM 
Social  Question,"  m8 


pc^Lt 


MB  so-  PoTe 


 _.,  quoted,  217;  on 

the  power  of  the  Gospel,  99 
Marshall,  on  poverty,  158 
Martensen,  oa  the  person  and  the 


Poverty  may  be  abolished,  1^3 
Program  ti  Christianity,  its  ele- 
ments, 153 
Program  needed  to-day,  8$;  of 
social  salvation,  84;  too  nega- 
tive, 88;  to  be  iaUowed  to^lay. 


VDBZ 


lUlMCHBNBUtCH,    "  Christianity 

and  the  Social  Crisis,"  83,  184 
Relations,  man  a  being  of  rela- 

tioBS,  77 ;  to  be  adjusted,  lai 
Religion  outside  the  cbniches,  aS 
Richards,  Timolhf,  aMMtaf  af 

OMvenioB,  7S 
Wm,  -  HovllNrOllMr  Biif  Um**** 

•4 

Rilra*  Christianity  is  essentially 
•odiu,  71 1  on  ideal  of  the  king> 
dom,  86 

Romans,  Epistle  to  quoted,  on  tin, 
S3 

Rms,  on  social  interference,  39 
Rothe,  on  Jesus'  interest  in  social 

question,  304;  says  Christianity 

is  least  immutable,  la 
Ruskin,  making  a  better  world, 

r>8;  on  Bishop,  1781  oaladlflf 
fid  passion,  135 

SAiNTt  in  modem  wwld,  aaj 
Saleeby,  "FanadMOd  mad  Mam 

Culture,"  13a 
Salvation,  different  conceptions  of, 

too;  of  the  whole  man,  76,  loO} 

«lM  tmUmh  of  taeUadnrtiMi. 

61 

Sui    lUn,  down  to  date,  163 
Sanday,  on  need  of  freshneas,  aoi 
Saved  life  demaadt  aafi  onina- 

ment,  157 
Savonarola,  his  vision  of  city,  lao 
Scotland,  housing  conditions  in,  44 
Serviceableness  test  of  religion,  ai7 
Sidis,   The  Psychology  of  Sugges- 
tion," 183 
Small,  on  crisis  in  morals, 
Smith,  George  A.,  economic  prob- 
lem is  Christian,  14a ;  effects  of 
sin  on  world,  55}  pwiparlly  nd 
religion,  138 
Social  action,  the  method,  133; 
Christianity   is   needed,  aia; 
problem  considered,  34;  recon- 
ttnictioB  ii  oeceiHiy,  150;  nl- 


vation  required  aocial  action* 
15a;  task  defined,  8a)  MriMMt 
not  exclusive,  131 

Society  needs  saving,  15 1 

Solidarity  defined  and  ilhutnlad, 

47> 

Somerville,  on  the  solidarity  of  hn- 

manity,  54 
Spargo,  "The    Spiritual  SifBif> 

icance  «f  Madna  SocMia**' 

a38 

Spencer,  on  destruction  of  the 
unfit,  39;  quoted  on  happiness, 
60 

Sphinx,  sitting  by  roadside,  33 
Spirit  at  work  in  the  world,  15 
Spiritual  life  not  isolated,  74 
State  to  be  Christianized,  iia 
Strong,  "The  Challenge  of  th* 

City,"  63;  "The  Not  OnH 

Awakening," 
SriwoMeloai  Wh  la^poilMM* 

Thkuholo  of  consdontneia,  171 
Traokhra,  acaaa  ia  racortly, 

Unfit,  the  oreservation  of,  3I 
Union  of  all  who  love,  181 

ViCTOtm  iar  fht  kingdom  to-day, 
aoQ 

Von  Hne,oa  tfM  kckirfthaafle. 
i9 


Wakd,  L.  S.,  « A] 
Off,"  13a  5  on 


led  Sodd- 

«r  •> 

vironment,  144 
Ward  and  otka%  "SmU  10a- 

*3        _  . .. 
Wemie,   early  CmWHw 

rebels,  174 
Wesley,  on  soliUry  religion,  73 
Westcott,  describes  the  Chwtt,  1 1 1 
Whitman,  "There  wm  • 

v«nt  forth,"  16S 


TBmY  ItlAVl  AMD  AEMUHMM ' 


J.  M  JOWETT 

The  TnntfiguMd  Chwch 

uma,  clolh.  Ml 
"In  Dr.  Jowett  w«  kxe  the  greateat  livlnc  maMtr  of  the 
tMmilctic  art.  We  loee  one  of  the  moat  powerful  and  deeply 
Inatrwctcd  among  evangelical  preacher*.  loae  oaa  of  ua 
wiMst,  innit  inspirirw  and  inoet  trtiatad  of  o«r  Icadera. 
There  it,  however,  iio  ute  in  diig«iainy  the  fact  tJurt  it  ia 

"On  fvery  aid*  «•  kMr  the  lament  that  the  ebtireh  ia 
without  power,  mnAmm  Mtl  that  if  her  forces  oovld  bat  ba 
Milicad  to  tiMir  fra,  Ik*  world  would  reeaiv*  a  mighty  ttp> 
rtft.   Tba  milWmica  o<  tha  ebarek,  if  all  ita  powera  war* 

"»ne4erfoUy  pwtr^M. 


'<!  ia 


mWMLL  DWIGHT  HILUS.  L..). 

The  Conttgkm  of  Chancter 

Stttdies  in  Culture  and  Succna.    lamo,  cloth,  net  fi.jo. 

A  companion  volume  to  the  author'a  verv  popolitr  "Ino 
vcMment  of  InHiKnoe."  "Aa  a  writer  Dr.  Hillia  i*  eloquent 
■ad  iaadaatlag.  Hia  pagaa  vartda  with  iinncw  which 
la  qaota.  Hi^Mi||aiks  ara  iMHl^mpHk  igg^ 

Dintior  0f  K,  f.  Pttct  SttUtth 

Tba  Taak  of  tba 

Tweatiatb  Ontary 

Ittroduction  by  Andrew  Caraagie.    i6ne,  cloth,  net  75c. 
Aadraw  Carnegie  coaMaenda  thia  book  in  no  atinted 
"I  ha««  raid  thia  book  from  beginning  to  and  wilk 
;  m4  pmtt.  I  bopa  Urge  cditiooa  will  Im  areulatad  ky 
laa  wyaniiartona  among  thoae  we  caa  latarcat  la  tki 


IMMS  doth,  act  $i.as- 
_    A  vohaae  by  Oe  Aaaiataat  Editor  of  TU  WttiwitMM 
yggy^y*  lajayt^  fc;.  b^^bat  laj^rMrtiilira^ 

COtfTMSrS. 

feGctdac  Rn4E._  VL     Wm  ft  taikr 

.  Sarnu>untiiiclNe|d|»      VII.  WoHi  and  VTun 


III.  Stability' 1^  Urntmr      Viit  gaWta 


fit 

"1 

f  •: 

.  1 


r 


'I. 


cajNi04i»  (rruDiEs  of  cHRisTiANmr 

HAROLD  BEGBIE 

Twke-Bora  Mai 
A  CUmc  in  RflKenrntKMi. 
h.  Ml  |i.*i> 

A  ieotaet*  ia  Mmthc  to  Prof.  WaL  Jtammt 
Varictic*  of  Rdigioti*  Eatperience."  ...   ^  j 

Studie*  ia  the  ^tenoinnia  of  conTcratea  froa  tlie  ■taad> 
Boiat  of  tha  Mndcat  of  hnmaa  aatnre. 
^    I^f.  WaiiMB  Jmjm.  of  fUrnti.  mj, 
book  i*  •  waadcrfttl  Mt  of 
certainly  nc«da  no  pnfaM  i 
booli  a  foot-note  to  liia.  1 

•f  the  referencet  and  I  wiih  the'  book  a  great  encceaa.** 

J.  Wilbur  Chapman  aaya:  "One  of  the  aapat  thrilMatfr 
■    I  have  cv|rjrta^I  wMwIA  tha^e^way 

mtm  mm  U  mSr  ** 


aaaa,  of  Harvard,  aan:  "Mr.  Bcfbkffi 
Mt  of  iMriM^wfi^^ 


HORACE  'tfn»Y  WAUIBR.  1*.  D. 

The  Ptychology  of  tedaUKtB  lift 

nT'a'^infitkfe  aad  at  tha  wae  tiaM  aeriptaiallf 
•BikwccdMdy  eftiMrariatiaa  Ufa  ia  whfch.the  aaoal  tay 
■daolocy  ia  replaced  by  deacriptiona  parchologtcal  and  aciea- 
tific  The  auttor  hai  choaen  a  very  nearly  clear  Bcid  aa« 
while  Bumy  bare  writtea  of  the  pvcboloj^r  ™Hf5S?,^ 
perience.  Dr.  Warner  eoafinea  himaelf  to  the  OriaUaa 
and  Evangelical  field,  thna  makitw  an  ivraluaUe  coatril  irthy 
both  to  Cbiatiaa  achdai^  aaftha  jMloanplqr  of  nUpaat 

WILUAU  ALEXANDER  CRIST 

The  Historic  Gliiyii>*»Mtfi Of  IMqr 

affottad 
k-ind  ai 
tir*  in 
notcwof 


SOHM  nhtOTHY  STONE.  D  D. 

Recruiting  for  ChriA 


Hand  to  Hand 


 coaipflaa  tfiia  bo6k  vaira  gIviB  is 

.  _  dtm  eoadocttd  onder  dM  MaajM  M 
of  Cbwdi  CInba  aii  Bro*«b««od  laTllnM 
both  wM  dM  apMt  of 


 *of  gtttint' tth  ff^ttBOMtD*  viforoa*  aai 

wh^iMOM^ray.  The  book  diftrt  abaphitely  naaillw  Mar* 


l|w'^a^atatioa 
the  btttnatto< 

«d  a^nl^iuiuuiui 
«bB  a 


JAMES  L  VANCE 

Tmdtaejt  TIm  Eixt  of  'Hmd  nd  IMfl 
in  the  DevdopniMtt  of  IMt. 

IMMt  doth,   iMt  $I>J|. 

-Mm  prinwrlly  at  h^tac  yomg  nca  m  Aat  they  wffl 
ten  their  Ihrae  fa  the  right  direction  at  the /rery  itart. 
fkcao  diaentoions  are  aliTC.  tber  are  full  of  aiqacativa 
Owuchta.  They  cannot  fail  to  inapire.  They  deal  Mth  the 
war  cHtditiona  in  whidi  men  find  thmnylrjfc  and  they  ara 
1*1;  n^tt*  bound  «•  4o  ■••«.'<— C.  4.  HMi. 

/.  M  JOWSTT 

The  TnuDtfigured  Choich 


A  truly  remarhaUe  portrayal  of  what  the  Chtirdi  might 
be  if  it  fully  aTaikd  itaelf  of  all  the  foroea  and  powera  at  itt 
The  great  Biraii^am  preacher  iBMon  ia^BT^ 


aiWtr  W.  CLARK 

Imw  of  the  Inner  Kingdmii 


tMM,  datt,  all  Itot. 
"ThU  ia  a  diatinedy  Chrisliaa  atady  of  the  laws  ti 

aniritual  life  and  experience.    Tlw  booh  la  tlwtightfal,  rev* 

!?*jtf!Sji'it'  r*?y-1lJS  us'^fimaT 
PERCY  C.  ABOWOim 

The  Pilgfim  Canucb  aad  CMbtr  StiaoM 

iMM,  dotk,  Mt  $i.a$. 

Sir  SobcrtaoB  Nkoll  myi:  Kvery  page  and  almoat  every 
aentenea  is  attikfaM^  Thia  ia  a  booh  which  iMMt  inevitably 
find  ita  way  into  the  handa  of  every  preacher  worthy  of  dM 
■asM  and  rnntHtwdra  who  are  net  armhiri  «fll  lU  taill 
As  h^dnt  ttsy  nsed.   It  is  trtil^  •  iBUMi  ks^bF 

W.  L  WATKINSOH 

The  Fmtal  Bwtw  uA  Odw  Stmoai 

iswH  dsdi(  net  $i«ssb 
"Keveala  the  secret  of  the  eageraeia  wiA  which  As  a» 
Aor  is  besrd  in  his  homelsad  sadHn  iMt  oMBtry.  M  NorA- 
Sm  snd  elsewhere.  He  is  svsMiiicsl  in  Us  tssAfiifc  jvi-v 
5  As  Scripture  but  his  ipfa^>  modsfa.  tmA  jm*  •!  *•  ^ 
chief  chersu  of  hit  larmsps  is.  in  Ihs.  appoasnsn  sc  JM 


Wbst  Jmmi  Said 

Tta  Owtt  Dbco««  of  J— ChrUt.  th.  Son  d  God. 

topically,  whhom  «MMW»  wtttm*  W  • 
tiact  want. 

jr.  Jg.  MOyrO^^Jfy  HITCHCOCK 

ChriA  and  His  Critics 

!iMl  rMirrt    fflplayiuj  both  •  thorou^  mMlcry  of 
Jgl^^^ilft  anSt  refrcdiii«  ttyle. 

MSgOP  WM.  FRAZER  McDOWELL 

In  tiie  School  of  Chriit 

11  To  See  What  He  Doei;  IH  Jf»  HS^^TSi  «l*  • 
Seirt  Forth  by  the  Mwter— I  With  »  »  > 

VMBrMa:  lU  With  a  PewonaHty. 

*^(\^ftf^  if'Tvumri  BISHOP.  D.  D. 

Jesus  tiie  Woricer 

ilBitoll  tha  Ethical  LwMlmWpMthaSo^^ 
^^S$ZittMntf»riV>9'  umo,cloth,MtfiJS. 

i^lariy  attaiamenta  and  yJfor  jf,  "'V  ^^i^ 

JOHN  A.  HUTr01I.M.JL 

The  Autiiority  and  Fnaoa  d  Our  Lord 

**r'.Stt*i**a«rorigiiial  diaeuiiiot.  of  th«  jDeitT  of 

Sm^^nSIb  w  hoar. 
rrttTAKn  B.  MtAFEE,  P.P. 

Studies  in  tiie  Sermon  on  tiie  Blount 


:gL°^fita..^'Mpim  g^to^b^^  ^ 


